From High School to War
by renegadewriter8
Summary: The transformers had to survive school before the war irrupted. In a world where only the strongest survive, how did they manage?
1. Chapter 1: Prologue

Okay, I went back and re-read this fic and I just thought it didn't make sense. So, here is the prologue re-done XD

I'm doing the other two chap and have already done chapters 4 and 5 so just bear with me a little longer and I'll have them posted in no time.

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Okay, first of all, keep in mind that Cybertronians live like, forever. So I'm not going to talk about ages or anything because some could be millions of years older then the other but still be considered a youngling. So as to not cause confusion, I'm just gonna go with "this bot was way younger then the other." and so on and so on. I'm also gonna talk in frame terms. Like "this bot was only in his second frame while the other was already in his last frame", etc.

Although I use the term high school, it's not the high school we all know about. Here it's just a general term for both school and university.

Hope I don't confuse you!

I managed to confuse myself XD

**R&R**

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Prologue

"Cybertron's High School". One of the most famous educational facility on the whole planet. It wasn't as prestigious as the "All Mech Spark School" for the gifted or the "Elite School"... in fact, it was ... Oh who am I kidding? It was the _worst_ school on the whole planet! Maybe even the universe.

Long ago, a pointless war led one of the factions to retreat to the lower levels of Iacon looking for refuge, a place used for storage, a place earthlings would compare to the slums of India, or even worse, where the solar rays almost never reached yet, some gaps in the cities floor, (the lower levels ceiling), allowed small rays of light to caress the cold metallic floors.

Later, a peace treaty was obtained. Those in the lower levels would receive help, supplies, medicines, energon, etc, from the upper levels, but they had been exiled from the main city, condemned to live a life of darkness and uncivilized ways. With no order or laws, the mechs and femmes ran wildly and unrestrained, causing havoc were they pleased.

There was only four entrances to the city, all being heavily guarded. No one could come out with the proper paperwork. And those were almost impossible to get.

Some time later, the elite guard decided that the criminals caught in the main city, could just be thrown in the hellish city underneath them, which led the lower level to become one of _the_ most dangerous places to dwell in.

Life was hard. Most bots were raised in the midst of eternal fighting between each other, viruses, mistrust, abuse or any kind of violence. . Many criminals who were brought to the hellish city, had been murderers or gladiators from Kanon. They had brought their ideas with them and so, gladiator rings were formed, a savage game of death.

There had been attempts by the elite guard to save the Cybertronians living there. Or that's what they had told the media. It was all a lie. They had gone in with troops to exterminate everybot. Many perished, but in a desperate need to protect the young, all lower levelers joined forces to expel them. They triumphed. From then on, there was a mutual agreement by all the elders:

_"Let us not fight, but prosper and regain our proper place in the city above. Let us show all of Cybertron that we too, deserve freedom and comfort, that we too are alive!_

_For that, we must take back that which is ours, let us take back our knowledge, our art, our music, our culture._

_We, are already too old to inherit a live in the upper levels, so let us prepare our young, to take our place, and honor us with their presence amongst the rest of the cybertronians. "_

With these words of the wise, and the joined forces of the survivors, they built a school. Here, all would learn about what they once were and with hope, the elite guard would see this and let their young live freely where they belonged.

But as time grew old, many forgot their purpose and went back to their old ways of recklessness and chaos. Yet those who did not forget, continued to hope and sent their young to the school. Now, bots were forced to survive in the midst of ruins. If one looked hard enough between all the rubbish, they were sure to find an offline bot rusting, forgotten by all.

Being the only educational facility in the lower levels, it served both as a school and university. Bots from all ages would go there. From younglings to those very old.

Spies from the elite guard reported secret meetings from the older mechs in which they swore they would rise up and take the upper levels of Iacon. They were tired of being let aside, tired of being treated like scum. Always being controlled yet never receiving a servo when they needed energon or other basic materials for their survival. If they had to use force to gain freedom, then so be it.

Their even greater concern were the younglings. How they were brought up and what the so called school was teaching them scared them. They could be learning how to fight, how to make their own weapons. No, the elite guard did NOT want to take any chances. They saw this as a threat to the future of Cybertron. Plans were already being made to take drastic action if there was even a small hit of hostility towards the upper levels. Primus knew, that these bots could take on a whole army if they wished to.

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Well, here it is, please let me know if you thought it was better, reviews help a lot to keep writers going, makes us desperate writers think that ppl are actually interested in what we write so..... PLEAS FOR THE LOVE OF ALL THAT IS HOLY... **R&R** XD Thank you....


	2. Chapter 2: Bumblebee

Okay, this is Bumblebee's chapter. I must have been having a very bad day when I wrote the other one cause come on... It was sooooooo depressing. I'm a cruel author to make little 'Bee feel that way T.T Although his life here is still very bad, he's more joyful and more like has more of his original personality. Hope you like it.

Now about the pairings. I know I said in the other fic, that one of the couples was gonna be RatchetXIronhide, but I have recently read _a lot_ of awesome fics involving RatchetXTwins and I  
_**love**_ the pairing. So right now I'm in the middle of a dilemma, I have no idea which couple to do. T.T

**POLL TIME!! XD**

Pick ur fav:

RatchetXIronhide

RatchetXTwins

(and pick fast please...)

Another thing, do you guys see Optimus as a teacher or as a student? I can't make up my mind about him. Hmmmm....

Edit: 20/11/09

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astrosecond: Cybertronian .498 Earth seconds

breem: Cybertronian 8.3 Earth minutes

cycle: Cybertronian Earth hour

megacycle: 12 Earth hour

klick: Cybertronian: Cybertronian Earth minute

nano-klik: Cybertronian Earth second

jour: Cybertronian Earth day

orn: Cybertronian 13 Earth days

vorn: Cybertronian 83 Earth years

solar cycle: Cybertronian Earth year

* * *

---

Places he hadn't even known existed hurt. He had dents practically everywhere and his once yellow paint job was starting to look brown and was rusting in some places.

Usually, the yellow mech would be repaired by the school's med bot. But the last one had been chased away two orns ago, and he hadn't been able to find a decent bot to trust with his repairs, so now, he'd have to let Mendless, the med bot's assistant, fix him. He hated Mendless. He wasn't nice at all and would make him feel more pain before he was 'repaired', plus, he wasn't a medic but could at least repair some of the damages.

Bumblebee sighed. _"Another jour... another jour in the pit."_ He thought grimly. He had just gotten out of a very short recharge and was heading for school, from practically the other side of the underground city. The road there was dark and almost empty. Some bots came and went but never did they pay any attention to him. A sight like him would startle any bot and would immediately call on the law enforcers. But not here. Almost everybot was in the same state. Those who weren't, were very powerful, avoided trouble like the plague, lived alone, had caring caretakers or friends, or had the means to fix themselves.

Despite his joking and obnoxious attitude, he was depressed. The bots he lived with were violent, cruel and uncaring. They treated him like a slave. "Do this, so that." Was all they ever said to him.

The yellow mech had never met his creators. When he was still a sparkling, he remembered there was somebot by his side, protecting him. He remembered feeling warmth and love. Then, there was a void, that was as far back as his memory chips went. The rest, was filled with his time at the hands his 'caretakers'.

'Useless, worthless, unwanted, hated, pathetic, a mistake.' That was what they told him. A part of him believed it. After all, nobot had claimed him. He was smaller then most of the other bots, even some of the minibots. He didn't even know how to fight well.

Since he was still in his second frame, he had no weapons of any sort. The youngling couldn't wait until he got his third frame. He would be able to leave that place for good. He had to work hard to earn enough credit to be able to that. But there was no rush. He had a long way to go before he got his third frame. Another very good reason to get his next frame, was because he could get weapons upgrades. Right now, he didn't have any. All he could do was send a little electroshock, that could harm next to nothing.

Though he wouldn't be able to take any weapons to school. The mech laughed at the idea. There was a very strict policy about weapons. They were _not_ allowed. Of course, there wasn't any mech in the school without one.

Some orphaned younglings tended to group up with others and form some kind of brotherhood to keep themselves save. Others found no need for that and had a normal life. The older bots didn't have as much problems since they lived independently. The biggest problems they could face was a debt or their involvement in gangs or in some sort of crime. Bumblebee had the misfortune of not belonging in any group. He had tried to make more friends. He truly had. He was funny. Or he had thought at one time. But he only managed to gain bullies. Rumors about him had been spread through out the whole school. And they weren't nice. He acted like he didn't care but inside he was a mess.

A tickle of warmth reached him. _"My servos are cold"_ He registered with little care as a weak ray of sunlight the managed to break through the cold ceiling above, shone on his shoulder. That meant he was in need of a good energon cube.

Bumblebee stopped walking to look at the ceiling. When one looked up, all they saw was what appeared to be an endless dark hole, with two or three cracks in it that let light show through. The immense darkness made you feel overwhelmed, a sensation of being in a cage nearly suffocating you, yet at the same time, it gave the impression of being a vast space with no limits, exposing one to unlimited dangers, making one drown in a lost sea of darkness with no up or down. He shivered staring at the dark floor to get rid of the uneasy feeling. He wasn't sure how low into the planet they were in. He shook his head to clear his processor.

His thoughts were interrupted when everything around him seemed to come to life. Thats when he noticed he had reached the schools open gates. As he took a look around, he saw many bots coming in, whether it be in boisterous groups or alone.

With yet another sigh, the yellow bot made his way towards the school building, trying to avoid any unnecessary detection from unwanted fellows.

"Hey glitch think fast!"

No such luck.

Bumblebee turned quickly to face whoever had spoken only to have a gigantic metal ball hit him straight in his faceplates. He fell to the ground whimpering while trying to sooth the pain away by rubbing the tender spots, noticing he had some oil leaks.

"Awwwww, poor wittle wumwelwee! Here, let me help you up!"

The offender grabbed the small bot by the scruff bar and in one swift motion, hauled the poor youngling into the air, throwing him onto the metallic ground. Hard.

Bumblebee yelped loudly in surprise and pain as he fell on his back, metal pieces having embedded themselves into his circuits.

With a groan he sat up waiting for the ringing in his head to stop. He looked up as he heard snickering, only to come face to face with a larger mech.

"Skywarp..." He murmured, a tone of irritation and disdain. He stood up quickly so as to not be caught helplessly on the ground.

"Well what do you know? The glitch can speak!" Came the voice of Skywarp, who stood with his hand on his hips.

"Apparently, it knows your name."

Bumblebee then noticed that there were two other mechs accompanying Skywarp. One was called Thundercracker and the other was Starscream. Those three were Seekers, meaning their alt form was that of the aerial kind. They had formed their small 'gang' thinking they had the right to bother any bots they wanted. Their leader , Starscream, was one of the most annoying mechs in the whole school. But he was very talented in the science department.

Looking around, the small mech saw many bots avoid them, heads bowed low and walking quickly towards the building. Some of the braver ones stood at a safe distance watching the exchange.

_"Cowards."_ He thought.

"Now now little one, give us your credit, and you may pass." Starscream said with his annoyingly high pitched voice, as Skywarp moved to let his 'leader' stand over the little bot.

"No way in the pit! I worked hard to earn my credit!" Bumblebee yelled desperately. He didn't have much with him, but he had worked till his servos 'bled' to gain what little he had. There was no way he was going to give it away. If he had to suffer more damage to his armor, so be it.

"Don't be such a glitch. We're working hard as well. Do you know how tiring it is to have to corner every single bot and take their credit? It's an exhausting job." Starscream said dramatically circling the smaller mech.

"Leave me alone you fraggers!"

It was meant to be threateningly. To show what he was really made off. He could tell that some of the bots that had stopped to see the "show" were surprised that he had bothered to talk back at the bigger, scarier bots. But of course, it had come out as a desperate cry, making Starscream and his cronies smile in an... unpleasant way.

"Ohooo, somebot wants to play tough." Said Skywarp making frightened gestures. The other two bots followed his example.

"What'cha gonna do glitch? Huh? What can you possibly do to us with no weapons and no strength? Glare us to deactivation?" Snarled Thundercracker getting closer.

Bumblebee knew he was in trouble. He saw what they were doing. They were cutting off his escape routs. There was no way he could pass them without being caught.

"Come little 'Bee, let us play until you give us your credit."

And then they were on him. He didn't know who grabbed him first, but in the next nano-klick, the three of them started pushing him around as if he were nothing yelling "catch!" as he was being thrown. He looked at the other mechs watching the scene trying to see if they would help him. But no one did because a) they were afraid of the three bots or b) they didn't care.

The small mech tried to fight back. But he would always trip and the game would continue.

"This is getting boring." Said Skywarp. "He can't even fight back." He continued with a pout.

"Well what do you expect from a worthless glitch? Pathetic!" Spat Thundercracker.

"Come on glitch! Show some spark! Bet you couldn't hit an off-line mech!"

"Even if he did, I bet his 'punches' don't even hurt!" Laughed Starscream as he kicked Bumblebee to the ground.

"No, but mine do!"

Before the three mechs could process anything, they found themselves being grabbed, turned over and pummeled to the hard metallic ground. Surprised and aching all over, Starscream turned to see the one who dared lay a servo on him, but the glare that meant to kill turned into a panicked and scared stare.

"Y-yo Irondhide... ho-how are you this fine gloomy morning?" Stuttered the 'fearless leader'. He could feel his companions tense behind him as they heard that name. They stood up and were greeted by a very fragged-off gray mech.

"I was doing just fine till my optic sensors saw some scum picking on a little bot!" Spat Ironhide. His plasma cannons (which, as said before were actually not allowed at school but... ), started to prickle with energy while he looked at the three mechs in disgust.

Thundercracker gulped.

Skywarp turned ready to run.

And Starscream tried to negotiate.

"Now now Ironhide, lets not be hasty shall we?"

Bad choice.

**"TOO LATE FOR THAT YOU SLAGGERS!"**

With a few plasma shots in an astrosecond, the mechs were down and running away a nano-klick later yelling promises of revenge.

Almost every bot that had witnessed the three bullies bashing, stifled a laugh and kept going on their way ready to spread the news to every one that would lend them an audio receptor.

'"Ironhide..." Bumblebee said in a small voice. Why was _Ironhide_ of all mechs helping _him_? He was one of _the_ biggest, meanest, fiercest badaft mechs in the whole school who had the scariest, strongest, coolest plasma cannons one could wish for. Of course, they were only nice to the optic sensors if you weren't at the receiving end. And he just _loved_ to show off their power.

"Ya okay kid?" Came the gruff voice of the older mech.

"Ummm, yeah?"

The other raised an optic ridge at him, noticing how small the other was, and how he was in desperate need of a good medic. Ironhide had seen the younger mech a lot of times in the past. He saw how he was left out by the other mechs and how he tried so hard to get their approval. Today, the older mech had been passing by when he saw the younger mech again. There was something strangely familiar about him. He decided to follow the mech knowing he where he was going. And that's when he saw him being bullied.

"So what's yar designation kid?" He asked helping the smaller bot up.

"I'm Bumblebee." Ironhide chuckled at the enthusiasm the other showed, and at the confusion in his optics.

_"He must not be used ta somebot asking him his designation."_ He thought sadly.

Bumblebee felt nervous. This was one of the first times he was spoken to politely and he didn't want to screw it up. But he didn't know what to say.

"Ummm, why did you help me?" Was the first thing that was in his processor.

"Not all the bots in this hellish place are cold sparken." Responded the older mech.

"Thats not what I see." Bumblebee quickly shut his voice capacitor off. _"Stupid stupid stupid!"_ He thought angrily. _"Be nice you glitch!"_

"I- I'm sorry I just..." He mumbled pathetically.

"S' okay kid, no harm done. Come on, I'll take ya to the medbay."

"What?" He asked dumbly.

"Have ya seen ya self in a mirror? Ya look like scrap. There's still some breems left till the bell rings. Might as well do something 'bout all those dents."

Bumblebee was stunned. Not only had Ironhide saved him from Starscream and his cronies, but he just offered to take him to the med bay? The yellow mech couldn't help but hit himself to see if he was dreaming.

"Ow!" He muttered. Nope, he was very much awake.

"Ya coming kid?"

The younger bot looked up to see Ironhide waiting for him patiently. Making up his mind not to screw this rare demonstration of kindness, he ran to catch up with him. Maybe, just maybe, this wouldn't be such a bad jour after all.

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Okay here it is. I changed the fact that in the other one they already were friends. Now we get to see how they become friends and why 'Bee seemes so familiar to 'Hide. YEY!!

**Remember the poll please!!!!** And of course.... **REVIEW!! **


	3. Chapter 3: Ratchet

Yey!! Another chapter done!! XD

Unfortunately I own nothing. T.T Except for a new character in here.

**Remember:**

RatchetXTwins

RatchetXIrondhide

I was kindda leaning towards Ratchet/Twins and then I saw that everyone was for Ratchet/Ironhide.... I feel betrayed! T.T HAHAHA Just kidding, the poll is up until I say so so keep voting!

OMG I went to the supermarket the other day and I found that they were selling the G1 Trasformers!! O.O I bought Red Alert and Barricade YEY (Thats all they had T.T) I can't enjoy it with others because... none of my friends have a clue about transformers!! It was so frustrating going to the see the movie with ppl who don't know a thing about the characters! I couldn't have my breakdown when Soundwave or Sideswipe appeared T.T

I changed a lot of things, Hook isn't going to be the assistant any more, I added a character. There is a lot more detail about everything. Enjoy!!

**READ AND REVIEW!!**

**Edit: 20/11/09  
**

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astrosecond: Cybertronian .498 Earth seconds

breem: Cybertronian 8.3 Earth minutes

cycle: Cybertronian Earth hour

megacycle: 12 Earth hour

klick: Cybertronian: Cybertronian Earth minute

nano-klick: Cybertronian Earth second

jour: Cybertronian Earth day

orn: Cybertronian 13 Earth days

vorn: Cybertronian 83 Earth years

solar cycle: Cybertronian Earth years**  
**

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Ratchet stared at the immense building before him in awe. It wasn't as grand as any of the architecture he had witnessed during his time in the Upper Levels, but maybe that was because this particular building, along side every other establishment in the lower city, hadn't gone through any maintenance in over what? A few billions of years?

At least ten stories high and wider then he could see. The typical deep blue purplish color with many faded sections, rust signs everywhere, around the windows, in every crevice and on every corner. He doubted it was any better on the inside. Some metallic panels were missing in certain places, some of which appeared to have been removed after a series of missiles had made impact. Ratchet remember that this edifice had been used as a shelter, and once as a command center during the many civil wars that had occurred in the past. Obviously, nobot had bothered with fixing it. This was the only educational faculty existing in the Lower Levels of Iacon.

It was amazing that it could have survived this long. Thankfully, after the pact made by the Great Wise-Bots after the most gruesome war, the construction had served to educate the younglings into what would eventually be, the future of Cybertron.

_"If they ever get the chance to prove themselves."_ Thought grimly the medic.

Finally getting out if his stupor, the med bot made his way up the small steps that led to the main entrance full of confidence. Once inside, he took another moment to gaze at the state the building was in.

It truly looked ancient. Build in a way similar to what humans would define as the Coliseum. In the middle was what would be the arena, full of tables and chairs. This was with no doubt the cafeteria. Ratchet didn't even want to imagine what lunch time would be like. Right now there was silence since it was too early for many bots to be in yet. A few bots were present but the noise they made was almost a whisper as it was lost in the immensity of the gigantic room that could easily hold more then a few thousand bots. On the far wall was the self serve area full of trays. Every floor circled the 'ring' and large pillars surrounding the whole area served as support for the floors. Four steps surrounded the 'arena' making the cafeteria be on a different level then the 'lobby'. The medic could make out lockers on the walls on every floor, and could see the beginning of separate halls every four pillars which probably led to the class rooms and other small 'chambers'.

A very nice piece of art. Looking to the side, the medic saw a small hallway with a sign above it which read 'Private Offices'. Thats where he had to go. Making his way through the short hall, he came into a larger chamber that was obviously the waiting room filled with comfortable sofas and a few data pads for those who had to wait a long time. In the middle of the far wall was a door that was probably the directors office. In a corner, there was an energon converter and in the other corner was a large yet simple desk. A femme bot was furiously typing not having noticed his arrival.

"Excuse me." The femme jumped startled by the sudden greeting.

"Oh, I didn't notice I had company. Yes, how may I help you hun?" She asked sweetly.

_"Hun? Do I really look that young?" _Thought the medic amused.

"I'm here to see Ultra Magnus, he hired me a few jours ago for the CMO post. I hear the old one ran away." The last was said with a tone that demanded some sort of explanation. Unfortunately, the femme bot was too busy shocked into silence.

"You're the new med bot? Bu- But you're so young!" She blurted out.

"I get that a lot. I assure you I am very capable of caring for the injured. Besides, I'm not the only young professional in here." He finished with a smirk.

"Oh you mean the engineer professor? Wheeljack was it?"

"Yes, he's a very good friend of mine. It's thanks to him I've got this job."

Wheeljack and him had been friends ever since they were sparklings, their creators living very close together. During that time it wasn't uncommon for families to join together so as to be able to protect their young and each other better. Unfortunately, it was also during that time, that the worse pandemic virus in the history of Cybertron had struck. And it was one of the few times that the Upper Levels and Lower Levels had united to stop this menace. This meant that all the sick bots had to be sent to Medical Facilities in Iacon. Half the population of the underground city was lost, most of them being creators leaving thousands of orphans behind.

Ratchet and Wheeljack had gone with their respective creators never leaving their side. Both became orphans. The cure hadn't been found in time. What happened next was something Ratchet didn't want to think about. But it had changed both their lifes.

"You're Ratchet right?" The medic was torn out of his dark memories when the femme spoke to him again.

"Yes I am."

"It's an honor to have such famous bots work in this school." She said shyly.

Ratchet didn't say anything. He hated his 'fame'. Sure, all of Cybertron owed him their lives. But still, he hated being reminded of his biggest failure. He tried to change the subject.

"Would you mind telling Ultra Magnus that I'm here? He's supposed to show me my med bay."

"Oh yes of course. Please..." She stood up and waved towards one of the sofas. "Take a seat, he'll be with you in a nano-klick." She finished sitting back down.

The medic complied making himself comfortable. This was his new start. After he and Wheeljack had graduated from their respective universities with honors and as the youngest bots ever, both had been offered jobs with an exaggerated salary and luxurious accommodations. But they had different plans.

All of Iacon was horrified when they announced that they would return to their home city. That meant they would return to the Lower Levels. Many complained, many tried to make them stay, saying that they would waist their talents on bots that didn't deserve it or that were out of their reach. In the end, they managed to leave. To get into the lower city had taken almost a solar cycle, with all the paperwork and other useless documents they had to go through.

And then, they stepped into the world they had almost forgotten. It had shocked them how things were down here. They had forgotten the viciousness of the violence, the deception, the darkness, the indifference, the hatred. After a few orns, they had adapted and were once again, true citizens of the hellish city.

Their next step had been to get a job. Ratchet had always wanted to work in the only clinic they had. He talked for jours with the CMO, a skilled medic named Fixit who had taught him many things as a youngling. Fixit had been very happy to see him again, and accepted him immediately.

Wheeljack had always wanted to teach, so instead of joining a group of engineers and architects that he admired called the Constructicons, he got a job at the educational faculty. Ratchet had been confused as to why he hadn't joined the others. Scrapper, the head of the Constructicons remembered their creators and had personally invited Wheeljack to join them. But his friend had only said cheerfully, his fins flashing in amusement : "They don't need me, Scrapper is a very good engineer, if he ever needs me, he knows where to look. But you know I love to teach, and I bet the school doesn't have a decent teacher on this area."

After a few jours, Wheeljack had told him about the condition the younglings were in. He had been shocked about how many were near deactivation and how nobot cared.

"The medic they have is incompetent and his assistant is horrible! I once accompanied a youngling to the med bay because he was afraid of them! And with reason! The medic didn't even turn off his pain receptors!" He had told him indignantly.

The engineer had pleaded for him to become CMO of the school. "You have no idea how damaged some are, but they wont go to the med bay because they are scared at the ones that are supposed to help them. It's spark breaking."

Ratchet had talked about it with Fixit. The clinic had some fine med bots. Sure some just did their job without feelings, but they never made their patients scared of them. Fixit had told him with a sad tone that it was true, the younglings didn't get the care they needed and when they did, it wasn't in the painless trustful way that they deserved.

"Why haven't any of the med bots here gone there then?" He had asked.

"I have sent three of them in the last vorn, but they all quit quickly. Apparently, many younglings don't like us and try to get rid of the med bot in charge with pranks and sometimes hurting them. Then, some wanna-be medic gets the post and things go downhill again. It would do them much good to have a strong sparked medic who actually cares about them. If you decide to take the post you have to remember that they are young and frightened and will try to make you leave." Fixit had warned him.

The distress of his friend and the hope in the optics of his mentor had made him want to take the job. Wheeljack had talked with Ultra Magnus about it and the desperate director had been very pleased. Today would be his first jour working with the younglings. Ratchet only hopped he could help.

A hiss made by a door opening made him look up. A tall blue mech walked out of the private office and towards him.

"Ultra Magnus sir, a pleasure to meet you." Ratchet said standing up extending his hand.

"Likewise Ratchet. I was very pleased when Wheeljack came to me to tell me how you would like to help the young ones. I must say, I was starting to loose hope." Responded the other shaking the medics hand. His tone was deep and seemed to carry a lot of sadness. An awkward silence followed.

"Sir?"

"Pardon me, I knew you would be young but I never imagined this young."

"I am not really THAT young, there are probably older mechs in here then me." The medic said slightly embarrassed.

"Yes that is true." Magnus chuckled. "You are the second youngest professional here. The first one being Wheeljack. It came as a surprise when he presented himself in this office looking for a job. At first I thought it was a prank of some sort. But then he told me his name. I hired him immediately."

"I don't see why that matters." Ratchet said, trying to sound oblivious.

"Don't be so humble. Wheeljack's name is very famous. As is yours." Ultra Magnus finished with a smile causing Ratchet to look rather nervous.

"I was surprised when all those vorns ago, when that terrifying virus hit most of the population and many sparks faded, that suddenly, someone found the cure. Rumor has it, that the mech was just a sparkling."

Ratchet kept silence. Here it was again, mechs being impressed by what he had managed. He hated it.

"The rumors also said that the sparkling's name, was Ratchet." He finished stopping for a moment to look at the young medic.

"It wasn't as fantastic and glorious as you made it sound. Wheeljack helped me a lot. Thats why we were sent to study at the universities. But I would have preferred to stay here in all honesty."

"Maybe. But thanks to being able to stay up there, you have a lot of knowledge that can do much good here."

"Speaking of which..." Started Ratchet trying to change the subject.

"Yes, please come in, we have much to discuss before I show you your med bay." Ultra Mugnus made a gesture that clearly was inviting the medic to enter his office.

Once inside, the director sat at his desk and Ratchet in one of the two chairs on front of it. They spent the next cycle talking about the current situation and how the younglings behaved. Ultra Magnus gave the medic a data pad that contained a complete profile on every bot in the school. Finally, Magnus stood up and proceeded to take Ratchet to the med bay.

Out side the office, the medic could hear the boisterous sounds coming from what he had dubbed as the 'arena'.

"Mirage? What are you doing here?" A blue and white mech was talking to the femme bot, he turned to look at the director and was about to reply when his optics landed on the red cross on Ratchet's shoulder plates.

"Mirage?"

"Oh, sorry sir... ahh, it's nothing I can come back later. Umm, bye bye." With that he was gone, trying not to look like he was running.

Ultra Magnus sighed. "He probably went to spread the news that there's a new med bot." He said looking at Ratchet apologetic.

"Well, it's pretty obvious anyway. I'm aware that one of the hobbies here is 'who can prank the medic'. I just hope I get used to that."

"Yes well, I apologize beforehand about any thing that can happen. I pray you can put the trouble makers in their place." The blue mech said walking towards the hall and into the 'arena'.

Ratchet smirked to himself. Nobot knew it yet, but he had the reputation of being able to put ANYBOT in their place. He still had his experience from living in the hellish city, and going against the mechs on the upper levels who didn't leave him or Wheeljack alone because they were, 'lower scum'. All this had given him a very _very_ hard personality. He wasn't a bot who was easily broken. A part of him was thriving to take this new challenge head on. Not that he would tell anybot.

When they came into the gigantic room, the medic was amazed at how many bots there were. Almost all the tables were full with younglings talking, shouting, laughing, singing... it reminded Ratchet of a pub full of over-energized bots. Walking towards the four steps that surrounded the whole 'arena', he looked up and saw that every floor had bots, again talking or running. It was in one word: chaos.

"This way please." Magnus said walking towards the far side where a huge hall began. The director choose to walk through the path that surrounded the cafeteria, it wasn't open like the circle in the middle. The ceiling was part of the first floor. Ratchet guessed Magnus had chosen going around the younglings and not through them (which would have been shorter), so he wouldn't have to suffer being stared at. Not that nobot saw them. The path was also full of other bots who did in fact stare and start to whisper Primus knows what to their companions.

Ratchet was amazed by the state some were in. Wheeljack hadn't been kidding when he had told him that they were 'near deactivation'. Running a scan on some he passed, he frowned at the results, many were running on less then 40% of power, some had cut wirings and others needed to replace certain parts.

_"Well, at least I wont get bored."_ He thought.

When they had walked half of the circle, they went into one of the main hallways. It was very wide and long and was packed with bots. There were lockers along both sides. Two small signs in the middle showed the waste rooms, one for mechs, the other for femmes.

"Please excuse me while I do some damage control on the way." Ultra Magnus said with an amused tone.

Ratchet raised an optic ridge and was about to ask what the older mech meant when he was cut off by his sudden shout.

"I see you running away from me Swindle!" He said pointing to a purple and gold mech who had been in process of opening his locker but did in fact run when he saw the director coming his way. In an astro-klick he was lost in the midst of the chaos.

"Hmmmm, I'm going to have to do a locker check again." The older mech murmured to himself.

The medic looked questioningly at the other. They had stopped walking and were getting curious stares.

"That mech is a thorn in my side. I imagine his designation can give you a clue as to what his hobby is. It would horrify you if you saw the things he stores in his locker. He loves to traffic illegal stuff like high quality energon or, dare I say weapons. Where he gets it, I have no idea. What's worse, he has his own traswarp frequency to his own storage dimension." Ultra Magnus said turning to face the medic. "As you know, the lower levels are worse then ever, the young mechs and femmes are constantly getting into gang fights. The board and I know this but unfortunately we have no evidence to pin on some of the students we _know_ are involved."

"Oh yeah, I heard about that. Some punks going by the name of Decepticons or something like that. I wouldn't worry though, this gangs don't last long"

Magnus nodded and was about to resume walking when all of a sudden somebot ran past them at an impressive speed.

"Blurr! How many times do I have to tell you _not_ to run in the hallways!?" Ultra Magnus yelled at a light blue mech.

"'I'MSOSORRYSAIRITWON'THAPPENAGAINSIRIPROMISE!" The mech talked unbelievingly fast. The medic wondered if that was the way the young mech was programmed or if he had a glitch.

"Just, be careful and don't do it again. If I catch you one more time, you'll be in detention for the rest of the solar cycle!"

"YESSIRDON'TYOUWORRYSIR!" And with that, he was gone, lost in the enormous crowd of younglings trying to go undetected by the sharp eyes of their director.

The older bot sighed as they continued walking through the crowd.

"This school has every kind of bot who have committed several crimes. From stealing to hacking into the schools computers and that mech before. There are of course, as I informed you before, gang fights. We have lost many bots dur-Soundwave! I don't care if you have the highest grades and are an exemplary student! If I see that bird _one_ more time, I'll turn him into energon goodies!"

A dark blue mech with an orange visor was walking towards them with a robo-bird perched on his shoulder. Ratchet noticed he was still in his third frame yet looked ready to obtain his last frame. There was a cold and indifferent expression on his faceplates and one couldn't know if he was annoyed or not for being yelled at. He stopped walking for an astrosecond staring at both of them but then the bird transformed into a cassette and went into a compartment in the mechs chassis, before he resumed his walking.

"Brawn! My office _now_ You know why!" Ultra Magnus pointed at a yellow and gray mini-bot who was talking with two other mechs. Said mech groaned and stared walking towards the mentioned place murmuring some curses.

Ratchet couldn't help but feel amused by the whole situation. They kept walking while the older mech scolded the younglings. The medic was far from nervous or uncomfortable by all the stares. But he couldn't help but catch some of the conversations going around him and he didn't like what he heard.

"Thats the new med bot? But he's still in his third frame!"

"I bet he doesn't even know a thing, we're so screwed."

"Think he's like the last one? I hope not..."

"Mendless ain't gonna be happy..."

"Hey, I'm opening a pool, bet he won't last 10 jours..."

"Hmm, Lockdown could probably get a good price for his med tools..."

"Ohooo Sunny and Sides are gonna have so much fun!"

Now let's make it clear that Ratchet simply does _not_ get scared. Specially by, who were in his mind, immature sparklings. But if there were going to be bots messing with his tools... now _that_ was a big no no. That last sentence caught him by surprise.

_"Sunny and Sides... gonna have to keep a look out for those two._" He thought making a mental note to check the data pad Magnus had given him for any information regarding those two as well as this... Lockdown character.

His thoughts were interrupted as they reached the end of the main hallway and Ultra Magnus turned and glared at everyone.

"Alright 'bots! There's a few breems before class starts and right now you have somewhere to be and it is _not_ in my hallways! So get moving!" He yelled so every bot heard him. And by Primus did they hear him. The mech could yell alright.

At the end of the hall, there where two other halls to the side and there was a double door leading out into the courtyard. Magnus took the right hall that was almost empty and they kept on walking. There where no classrooms at all. At the very end, there was another door leading to a different building. This was the med bay. Ratchet was amazed by the size of the exterior, though it was much smaller then the main edifice. Quickly Ultra Magnus pressed the code and the door opened with a strained hiss.

Again the white and red mech was impressed. Inside there were at least ten medical berths, two separate rooms that served as private offices and a lot of medical tools and gadgets. In spite of all this, the med bay has a similar state to the main building. There were rust stains on many corners and some of the equipment looked in sheer need of an upgrade. But Ratchet didn't expect anything more. He was content with his working space.

"I must warn you Ratchet. You will have an assistant but, he isn't exactly compassionate. I hired him because we needed somebot who could at least repair exterior damage, but he is in no way a medic. I hope you can handle him." The director whispered.

Ratchet frowned at that. _"Must be the mech Wheeljack told me about."_ As if on cue, a dark purple and black mech emerged from one of the offices.

"Ah, Ultra Magnus sir, I have been expecting you." He said, voice deep. He was taller then Ratchet and bulkier. His armor had many tools specialized for repairing.

"Mendless, this is the new CMO. Designation: Ratchet. I hope you will follow his every command."

"I don't see why you keep employing more scum. Especially scum from the Upper Levels. I can repair those pit-slagging younglings by myself." Mendless said with a sneer, glaring at the medic.

The CMO didn't even flinch which actually surprised the other. In fact, he glared back!

"I really hope you aren't referring to me. I may not look like much, but at least I'll treat the younglings how they deserve. I hear they're scared of the med bay. How by Primus, can they fear that which is supposed to help them? I'll tell you right now, if you ever so much as look at one of my future patient the wrong way I _will_ weld your aft to the ceiling." The medic responded in a clam yet menacing tone.

Mindless didn't respond. He wasn't used to other bots brushing off his threats, and he was never threatened before either. He didn't know what to do. The other med bots had been frightened at the very sigh of him. Yet this one had treated him like... like a sparkling!

Ultra Magnus couldn't help but smirk. _"Finally somebot that will stand up against injustice."_

"Well, I will leave the two of you to get to know each other. Now, if you'll excuse me, there's a courtyard full of younglings that need to be... guided to their classrooms." The door opened and the bots were surprised to see two other mechs that had been getting ready to press the intercom.

"Good morning Bumblebee, Ironhide." Magnus nodded at the two, confused as to why they were together. There was an enourmous gap of age between the two and both belonged to different spheres. He quickly dismissed it anyway. _"It would be good for Bumblebee to have a friend."_ He mused. "Come on in lads, there's a new med bot, one that I can assure you is very good and kind."

With that he started to leave. Before he was out the door however Ratchet spoke up again.

"Sir? One last thing."

Ultra Maguns stopped to look at the medic.

"Why is it that the other med bots left in such a hurry?"

The two mechs looked at the other, both with amused smiles on their faceplates. The director sighed dramatically before he answered.

"Two words: twin demons."

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YEY FINISHED!! The ending was the same because I loved it! XD Also, I'm gonna do a special chappy based only on the meeting between Ratchet, Ironhide and little Bee. But thats gonna be later. Guess who comes next!!!


	4. Chapter 4: The Twins

Woah, sorry for the wait. I got stuck on this chapter for weeks! I had already finished it before and was waiting to make a few additions when Oh, I couldn't find it! It had somehow deleted its self!!! I left it for a while fed up with it. But then I had to do it or my reader were sure to kill me... (jeje)

Well here it is! I hope the explanations make sense. If they don't tell me and I'll try to make them more... understandable

**THANK YOU TO MY REVIEWERS!!**

**READ AND REVIEW!!**

**PLEASE!!!!**

**EDIT: 20/11/09  
**

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astrosecond: Cybertronian .498 Earth seconds

breem: Cybertronian 8.3 Earth minutes

cycle: Cybertronian Earth hour

megacycle: 12 Earth hour

klick: Cybertronian: Cybertronian Earth minute

nano-klik: Cybertronian Earth second

jour: Cybertronian Earth day

orn: Cybertronian 13 Earth days

vorn: Cybertronian 83 Earth years

solar cycle: Cybertronian Earth year

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Sunstreaker and Sideswipe. Twins. Troublemakers. Warriors. The spawns of the pit. They held many other similar titles. They were always together, always standing up for the other. If you messed with one, the other would come and offline you. Each a half of a unique spark.

The twins had once been with their creators. Loved, protected and cared for. Until that fateful jour that changed many bot's lives including their own. The 'cleansing phase'. It was essentially, one of the Elite Guard's numerous plans to 'correct' the wrong doings of the Lower Levelers.

Long story short, on a normal jour, the Elite Guard barged into the Hellish City with one goal. Total obliteration. They had targeted femmes, younglings, innocent bystanders who had the misfortune of being born into one of societies lowest and most hated circles.

Now, the bots of the Lower Levels had one rule. Look after yourself. But that was amongst themselves. If any outside interference tried to hurt one of them, then they turned against that intruder. Together. This had being one of those moments. As soon as the enforcers had breached their sanctuary, the bots had acted. By natural law, the femmes were to hide and protect the younglings while the mechs were to battle off the threat.

But they had acted too late, and didn't have enough firepower. Many had died. Desperate creators had used their own bodies as shields, siblings had protected each other, everybot prayed that the next jour they'd see their friends again, that they'd have creators to tuck them in and tell them that all is well.

As the enforcers were driven away, the outcome had been grim. Younglings came out of their hiding places holding hands with younger ones, or carrying sparklings with whom they had no relations. A new era was born. One with no guidance. An era of orphans.

The creators lucky enough to have survived kept their younglins close and never took their optics of them. Many adopted orphans, the rest were left to their own fate.

Such is the case of the twins. They had lost their creators but were lucky enough to be adopted. Though if it was luck or misfortune is hard to see.

They were taken care of by one of the most ruthless couples. Gladiators. And thus began their warrior life. Each jour was the same routine. Wake up, train, spar, sleep and repeat. Fight, fight, fight. That was their life. Thankfully, their caretakers did not deny them their education and sent them to school.

They didn't hate fighting. They had come to like it and even to want it. But they hated when they were forced to kill in order to survive, or because the public cheered for it. Though they had come to terms with their life, they couldn't help but remember the short period of time, were there was no fighting, no killing. Only their creators love and warmth. What they hated the most, was how they were treated by their supposed guardians. As toys. They didn't suffer beatings or neglect. No, the twins had proven themselves over and over again which provided them with enough energon with which to be full and medical care. But what they wanted, was to be accepted, to be acknowledged, to be loved. They couldn't bare the looks full of indifference, so they opted for being away as much as possible when they didn't have to train or fight.

Which brings us back to this particular morning. Since the building was locked down, the only place they could wait in was the courtyard. Not that it mattered. It was preferable. They had their own spot and all. At the very top of the bleachers at the far end, facing the building with two large court fields separating them.

The twins had come two cycles earlier with the excuse of having a study group. They didn't care much for their 'education', but it was a good place to forget the tactless and emotionless way they were treated at home. The problem with this, was that they were bored. And Sideswipe was more then willing to let his brother know that small detail.

"I'm bored."

"So you've told me from the moment we got here." Responded his brother with no emotion.

"Oh come on Sunny! There must be something we could do to pass the time."

"Classes start in a few breems then you can entertain yourself as much as you want!" Sunstreaker said sarcastically while glaring at a group of femmes sitting at the bottom of the bleachers.

A group of mechs were playing on the court while the femmes cheered them on. At the other side, there was a small eating area. A couple dozen tables stood in front of the buildings doors. Currently, they were filled with boisterous bots.

"Jazz is here." Sideswipe pointed at the far table were three mechs sat laughing and talking.

"Whoppy doo." Deadpanned the yellow twin.

"Sunnyyyyyy!" Whined his twin.

"Don't call me that."

"Sunshineeeeeee!"

"Don't call me that either!"

"My dandelion of doom!!"

"Do you want me to kill you!" Snapped Sunstreakr not in the mood for his brothers immaturity.

"You are as entertaining as watching the paint dry."

"Good to know."

Sideswipe hissed in aggravation. "Can't you at least think of _someting_ to do while we wait to go to class, a.k.a more boredom?"

"You can be such a sparkling sometimes you know."

"But I'm BOOOOOORED!" Replied the red twin with a very good impression of a dying groan.

His twin sighed in exasperation at his brother. "Look, here comes Bluestreak. I'm sure he can make your life more entertaining." Looking down, a blue grayish mech was clumsily climbing the bleacher to them tripping every once in a while.

The femmes at the bottom laughed at such a display but were quickly silenced as Sunstreaker stood up and glared at them. "Would you go frag yourselves somewhere where we can't see you disgusting faceplates!!"

Startled by the yellow mech's words, the femmes made an escape for the safety of the building while Sunstreaker sat back down satisfied.

"Awwww, you scared the poor things." His twin admonished with a smirk. "See, this is why you never get laid."

"Bite me."

"Hey guys! What's up?" The mech named Bluestreak asked, vents working over time as he finally reached them.

"Hey Blue', you alright there? You fell rather hard that third time."

"What? Oh that, I'm sorry. I was in a hurry to get to you guys. You're not going to believe what I just found out! Well, I didn't really find out about it, it was Mirage who found out first but- say, where _is_ Mirage? He was right behind me! I hope he didn't get lost." He finished worriedly, optics sweeping through the courtyard in an attempt to find his missing friend

"Woah slow down there Blue'. We don't what you to glitch your vocal capacitor again."

"Oh, I'm sorry. I was rambling again wasn't I?" He responded looking dejected.

"Yes Blue', you were." Sunstreaker deadpanned.

"Anyway, what was it you were going to tell us?"

Bluestreak was one of the few bots that had managed to befriend them. No scratch that, he was one of the few bots who had been able to talk to them... with out being mauled. He was a nice, easy going, kind, do-gooder youngling. He had received his third frame two vorns ago, making him younger then the twins. He was very innocent despite living in a place like the Lower Levels. But he had just one defect.

"Well you see, I came a little late today. It was because I was waiting for Prowl. You know how he doesn't like company, but I wanted to walk with him to school. After he accepted he told me he was proud that I was doing so good with my grades! I really like it when he praises me. You guys know I look up to him, so it's really impor-"

"BLUE' The point!?" Bluestreak didn't get to finish his stray thought as the yellow twin yelled at him with an exasperated tone.

"Oh yes, well... When we got here I met Mirage, who was coming out of the office rooms. The weirdest part is that when I turned back, Prowl had disappeared. I hate it when he does that. He's not named 'Prowl' for nothing. He's so awesome-"

"BLUE'!" Both twins shouted.

"Okay okay! Anyway, Mirage told me that while he had been waiting to talk to Magnus about the 'final transfer', he saw-"

"The new med bot come out of Magnus's office." Finished a disembodied voice to Sideswipe's left.

The three mechs jumped in surprise as they looked around searching for the source of the voice. All of a sudden, a white and dark blue mech appeared in front of the red twins, one seat below them, next to the younger mech.

"Mirage!" Bluestreak said happily.

"Mirage!" Sunstreaker yelled angered by the older mech's stunt. He hated when he did that.

The bots at the school were divided into spheres, tight groups that could contain hundreds of bots. They rarely interacted with bots outside their sphere but it wasn't unheard of. There could be mechs in their second or third frame but those who received their fourth frame were transfered to another sphere solely for bots that reached adulthood. Mirage was about to receive his last frame which is why he had wanted to talk with Ultra Magnus about the final transfer. He didn't want to leave his friends just yet.

The twins had been in their third frame for many vorns now but Bluestreak had received his third frame not to long ago.

"Where did you go? You were right behind me and then you disappeared, I didn't even notice until Sides' said-"

"Easy Blue'. Sorry, I just didn't want to get caught up in the crowds." He said sheepishly, siting on a bench lower then the twins next to the younger mech

"Pfft, coward." Muttered Sunstreaker.

The three mechs glared at him.

"Wait, what! There's a new med bot!" Sideswipe asked after his processor caught up with the white mech's words.

"Yup. He's in his fourth frame but he looks very young."

"That's impossible! How can there be a new med bot! We scared the last one not to long ago!"

"You know what this means don'tcha Sunny?" Sides' said conspiratorially.

"Oh yeah, we have work to do." Replied his twin fist meeting hand.

Both mechs had an evil look on their faceplates that bothered the others.

"What's the matter with you and med bots?" Mirage asked narrowing his optics. It had been a mystery to him since he had met the twins. "We _need_ a medic here in school. Primus knows a lot of bots need it."

"Mirage's right. I had to ask Prowl to fix my door wing the other jour because there was no medic around. And I don' trust others to do it." Bluestreak added.

"You guys can't seriously want a medic here!" Said the red twin outraged at the thought.

"They treat bots like slag and are more likely to off line us then to repair us."

Mirage and Bluestreak fell silent to this. It was true. The med bots they had met so far were nothing but sadistic bots with no tact. But...

"We still need them. Or do you guys know how to get a bot out of stasis lock? Repair fractured energon lines? How about circuitry?"

"Yeah! And I'm sure none of you know how to defrag any bot's processor. Poor Prowl had to be in lock down for five jours until a med bot was found last vorn!"

Now it was the twins turn to be silent. Their friends were right. But still, that didn't mean they weren't going to make the new med bot's life hell. Plans were already coming together in their minds. It was going to be fun.

"Speaking of Prowl, how is your 'adoptive' guardian?" Mirage asked with a teasing tone turning to the younger mech trying to get off the obviously sensitive subject. He had only seen the older mech a few times when visiting Bluestreak, and didn't know much about him except what Blue' told him... which was almost everything.

"What? Oh he's doing fine. Still having problems with you-know-who."

"Shouldn't he do something about that? It's starting to get serious."

"I have no clue what you guys are talking about but, have you heard what everybot thinks Prowl did to Windstorm the other jour?" Asked Sideswipe.

"Oh yeah I heard about that. Of course they have no evidence that it was him."

"What? What are you talking about?" Asked a confused Bluestreak.

"You mean you don't _know_? Don't you live with him?" Sunstreaker asked amused.

"We live on different floors! And he never tells me anything! What happened?" Defended the younger mech.

"I'm not entirely sure about the details, but they said that 'Storm humiliated your stoic sparkling sitter-"

"Hey!" Bluestreak cried indignantly.

"-and he left the room fuming." Finished the red twin with ease.

"The next jour though, 'Storm was nowhere to be seen." Continued Sunstreaker. "After searching for almost four cycles, they found him tied up on the roof to the antenna."

"What!" Yelled the shocked mech. "And Prowl did that?"

"Everybot asumes it was him, but not even Windstorm can actually say it was, for he didn't see who attacked him. And there are many bots that clamied that Prowl was with them most of the jour." Said Mirage.

"But-"

Before any of them could continue, the booming voice of Ultra Magnus sounded though the courtyard.

"Alright bots! Go to your class! I don't care if there's a few breems before they begin! I want you to be there **NOW**!"

"Oh frag, Magnus's serious! Come on we better scramble. We'll continue this little gossip session later." Sideswpie said turning to the others. But before he knew it, Mirage had already disappeared.

"Good luck." Came his cheerful voice a few step below them.

"So thats how you keep a clean record. Slagger." Muttered the yellow twin.

"Sunstreaker! Sideswipe! That means you two too!"

The twins flinched. Even if they were far from were Ultra Magnus stood, since they were literally under ground, his voice echoed through the whole courtyard. They started climbing down wondering why it was only them that the director had yelled at. Thats when they spotted Bluestreak already half why towards the building.

"Traitor!" Yelled Sideswipe as they rushed toward their class trying to avoid the director's gaze.

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Okay, it was kindda done rapidly because I'm still fed up with this chapter! The last draft was better but what the hell. I'm done with it, moving on to the next of the story grrrrr.... his chap made my life hell!

I will post the next chapter tomorrow, it's already done... I finished it like, before I started this one XD. But I'll let you guys suffer... muajajaja wait till tomorrow!!

**REVIEW PLEASE!!**


	5. Chapter 5: Jazz

I'm sorry! I know I said I was going to post this yesterday, but the site wasn't working, so I couldn't! I can't upload files! But I found a way to post it (fiuf)

Anyway, here it is!!

I went back to the twin's chapter and added sth so this chapter made sense XD

**READ AND REVIEW!!**

**PLEASE!!**

**EDIT: 20/11/09  
**

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Black and white.

For many vorns, out of the corner of his optic, he had seen a figure with these colors. A faceless bot that appeared to him in dreams and sometimes as a shadow at school. Yet, when ever he turned to get a closer look, he was gone.

Frustrated with this, Jazz had began to keep a look out for any mech or femme who's paint job was similar. The 'school' was very large and had several thousand bots. Although he had found a few, none of them seemed right. The silver mech hated not knowing. He was so used to having information about everybot and everything before any other, that this was making him think that he had lost his touch. And he didn't like that thought one bit!

Jazz prided himself with his abilities of sneaking up on any bot with out them noticing, or for taking stuff from others, sometimes even for being able to plant a small paint bomb in the professor's subspace without them noticing. (this was a great feat mind you)

To have a bit of 'his own medicine' left him very irritated. Who in the pit's name was after him?

"Yo Jazz! Ya in there?" He was drawn out of his musings when his friend, Blaster knocked lightly on his helm. Jazz turned to meet his friend with his usual grin, replying in a friendly manner.

"I'm in here ya glitch!" He laughed.

"You looked kindda lost to me." Said his other friend, Powerglide. Jazz snorted, the dark red mech could not for the life of him, do anything without turning it into a commercial.

The three very popular bots where in the courtyard. Opting on having a little time away from their 'fans', they sat down at a far away table under the darker shadow the building made. It was always dark, in the lower levels, but some light that entered made it possible for deeper darkness to appear.

"I'm okay, just... thinking 'bout something."

"Oh, thinking 'bout yar stalker?" Blaster said with a husky voice leaning into the other, who laughed merrily before pushing him away.

"First of all, if who ever it is, is in fact a crazed stalker... " Jazz started and trailed off for a dramatic effect, the other two listening in amusement and interest.

"I'm gonna run like a spawn from the pit." He deadpanned.

Blaster and Powerglide burst out laughing, capturing the attention of the bots in the other tables. They quickly returned to their own conversations though, for they didn't want to eavesdrop on the 'popular mechs'.

"Come on Jazz! It can't be _that_ bad!" The look on the others face said it all.

"Who ever it is, has been... following you since... since you received your third frame." Powerglide said.

For a cybertronian, there were four frames their protoforms had to go through. The first frame, was for the sparkling, small and light with no weapons or any advanced programs. When the sparkling reached his youngling years, he would then receive his second frame. This armor, would be heavier and would have more programs installed, such as the ability to be able to establish a com. link with their creators and friends, a temperature detector, amongst others.

When the youngling received his third frame, it was like the bot had entered his teenage years', humanly speaking. Here, the bot would be suited with the corresponding weapons and more advances systems programs, depending on their speciality.

Jazz had lost his creators in his sparkling years during the 'cleansing phase', the small war between the lower levelers and the elite guard, and had been taken in by an old bonded couple along many other orphans. He lived in an old yet big building that served specifically for that. And orphanage.

Many of the students lived in that building. Those who hadn't had the fortune of being taken care by a loving bot, grew up on the streets or under the care of those who had no interest in being nice or loving, making at least 90% of all bots mean sparked and violent.

When it was time for his third frame, Sweet Vibe and her bonded Keeper had let him choose his own weapons and programs. Delighted, the silver mech chose stealth and velocity. With his guardian's help, he made his armor strong yet very light. He installed stealth and espionage programs into his main processor and as for weapons, a simple plasma rifle with great power (though it couldn't be compared to Ironhide's massive cannons), and then, he worked on a new improved visor.

It had everything: infra red and night vision, as well as a program where he could use the vibrations as a source to come up with a general view of where he was at the moment. There wasn't much advanced technology in the hellish city, but both his guardians were engineers and very talented. They could make a super computer out of scrap. It was so awesome to have them as guardians.

Now, a bot entering this age experienced changes in his spark, which would start to make itself stronger so as to endure the harsh times ahead. Cybertronians had always been a warrior race. The peaceful times were welcomed with opened arms, yet there would always come a time, when the race's heritage would become clear and wars would errupt. Naturally, the spark prepared it's self for the gruesome and cruel world that would follow.

Many symptoms accompanying these changes could be mood swings, a sudden desire to explore other areas, physically and mentally. And last but not least, the spark would start to call our for it's other half. A very, very, _very_ low percentage of Cybertronians suffered this stage. One could bond with who ever they pleased, but a certain minority had the gift to actually _feel_ their other half. It was as if their fates had been decided before they were sparked. Unfortunately, this was so rare, that the knowledge had not even reached the lower levels, leaving Jazz very clueless of the miracle that was happening to him.

He had started feeling incomplete. His guardians had told him it was a phase he had to get past. But that had been vorns ago.

The silver mech sighed tiredly.

"Yeah well, ya know... whatever, who ever it is will probably get bored later on."

"Bored? You're _the_ Jazz! There's practically a waiting line just to go out with ya. Bots would kill jast ta get a klick with ya." Blaster laughed.

"Primus, am I _that_ sexy? Why I neva noticed." Jazz replied feigning ignorance, leaning back on his chair, arms at the back of his head, feet on the table. His whole frame stretched in a suggestive manner. The femmes on a table nearby were heard giggling and trying to _not_ look at him. But he was just so unbelievable gorgeous, it was impossible. Many were struggling to keep from crashing at the sight.

"Down boy, remember what happened last time." Powerglide said seriously.

"Hey dat wasn't ma fault! And those bots were waaaay over energized." Defended Jazz siting in a normal way again.

Powerglide snorted. "What? And you weren't?"

Jazz glared at him before his usual grin betrayed him. "How'd ya know 'bout tat anyway?"

"Everybot knows that story, it's a legend." Blaster said with a casual wave of the hand, remembering the crazy party last vorn. Before anymore could be said, a group of femmes came running from the other side of the court.

"What _is_ that mech's problem?!" One said angrily as they slowed down.

"I know! Sides's okay, and his pretty hot, but his brother? Ajj that mech has problems."

"Pity, he's _super_ hot!" Giggled another.

The three mech kept looking at them as they disappeared inside the building. Jazz scanned across the courtyard towards the bleachers, where he could make out two or three bots sitting on the bottom, a bluish mech was clumsily climbing to the top where two other mechs set. One was red and the other yellow.  
_  
"Sunny and Sides"_ He mused. He had talked to the twins before. They were alright. They weren't in the same sphere but Sideswipe had been his accomplice in many pranks. The guy had the skills and the 'nerves'. He wasn't as sociable as Jazz was, but he was pretty friendly. The jour they had met had been fun.

And Sunstreaker just had some... issues. Mayor issues, but he was alright if you could get past the death glares, the growls, the very extensive vocabulary of curses, and the violent reactions sent your way. Jazz had discovered that is was just the yellow mech's way of dealing with other bots. He _knew_ they had trouble at home, if that place could ever be called home. Their 'caretakers' were famous gladiators and were teaching their charges the way of a cold sparken warrior, whether they liked it or not. And he was pretty damn sure they _didn't_ like it at all. Okay, maybe not. He had seen them fight once and there was no mistaking the grins on their faceplates as they defeated their opponent. But they did _not _like bein treated like toys to gain easy money by their guardians. Jazz found it completely understandable for the yellow mech to act the way he did. He talked to the twins when ever he could. He felt he could help them in someway. And they were fun to hang out with to.

"Ya think they heard 'bout the new medic?" Asked Blaster, optics on the two demon spawns.

"I think that kid just told them." Powerglide supplied.

True enough, the bluish mech had been aiming to reach the twins, and there was a sudden change to the two mech's body language.

"Wait, is dat Mirage?" Asked Blaster.

"That mech's cloaking ability is awesome." Sighed Powerglide dreamily.

Jazz laughed before he looked at the twin again. He didn't know why, but those two hated med bots. They had chased away five medics in the last vorn. The last one had left right after the twins kidnapped him from his office, tied him with rope and threw him in a scrap yard. Of course the med bot had been found later by the workers, and after he managed to regain his composure, he went back to the school to find his tools lying broken and glued to the ceiling of the med bay.

That's where he snapped, he went to Ultra Magnus and begged him to let him go. Poor old Magnus had no choice.

Being the info' junkie he was, Jazz had managed to get his servos on a very interesting data pad in Ultra Magnus's office. He was hiring a new medic named Ratchet.

The name had seemed familiar to the silver mech, and as he digged deeper, he discovered that this particular medic, had gone to the prestigious university of medicine on the upper levels. He was famous and dubbed as a genius. And he was very, very young. He also discovered that this mech, was friends with their engineer/mechanic's professor, Wheeljack. Now that mech was fun. Almost no bot disliked him, it just wasn't possible. Who could hate the mech that blew himself up in every class and laughed about it? Plus, he taught them some very awesome and fun stuff!

Jazz was surprised by his discovery, and had felt sorry for the bot that would have to put up with the twins. Any friend of Wheeljack's just _had _to be a nice bot. He found it hilarious that the engineer's friend was a medic. He could easily guess who took care of who.

What the silver mech found very interesting, was that both mechs were sparked right here in the lower levels and had somehow gone up to the upper levels to study medicine and engineering respectively. Jazz figured it had something to do with the 'plague' that had haunted Cybertron hundreds of vorns ago. He wasn't quite sure what, but he'd make sure to ask the medic about it when he went to med bay.

"How long da ya think this one will last?" Mused Blaster out loud.

"Hmmmm, hard ta say. From what I know this mech is pretty hard ta break."

Two pairs of optics immediately locked on him.

"Oh? And please tell _how_ do ya know this?"

"Cause I'm Jazz." The silver mech said shamelessly, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world, leaning back on his chair arms spread out wide above him as if allowing praise to be thrown his way. Blaster and Powerglide just rolled their optics and shook their heads in defeat. Yeah, the silver mehc was _very_ proud of his talent.

Jazz _always_ managed to know _everything_ about anybot. It was frightening just how much info' he could get on a bot. Made you feel very conscious of yourself, praying to Primus that you hadn't done anything embarrassing in your past that he could find out about.

Jazz smiled and looked back at what the twins were doing. "Uh Oh..." he thought, suddenly alert. "Those two are up ta something again." He knew they'd never do anything that would injure another... unless they really deserved it. And many had rightfully earned whatever the twins had dropped on them. He pointed his observation to his friends.

"The spawns are gonna drive somebot insane again."

"'Bout time. It was getting too quite." Blaster said seriously. Jazz just laughed alongside Powerglide.

Before any of them could do anything, the booming voice of their dear director echoed through the whole court yard.

"Alright bots! Go to your class! I don't care if there's a few breems before they begin! I want you to be there **NOW**!"

Many bots got up hurriedly and literally _ran_ towards their class. The director was a very kind mech... when he wasn't playing his role _as_ a director.

"Sunstreaker! Sideswipe! That means you two too!" He roared. Though Jazz could see that he was just trying to look threateningly. He chuckled at the sight.

"That means you too Jazz!" The silver mech jumped as Ultra Magnus appeared in front of him. Looking around he saw his 'dear' friends had abandoned him. Oh he would get those fraggers later. He saw the twins were getting the same treatment from their friends. Mirage nowhere in sight and the younger mech he knew to be Bluestreak already half way across the courtfields. Right now, he wanted to escape the other's glare.

"Come one bots move along!" Continued Ultra Magnus as the courtyard cleared. Then he turned to look at Jazz who hadn't moved.

"Well?"

"Ah come on chief! Fresh air is good fo' ya?" Was the laid back response.

"First of all... we don't _need_ air, second... I don't care." Deadpanned Ultra Magnus as his glare intensified on Jazz.

"Don't make me count."

Jazz's optics widened. _"Ohhhh he means business!"_

"Okay, okay ah'm leaving!" He said raising his servos in defeat.

* * *

Reaching the fourth floor, he caught up with his 'friends' who were waiting for him next to the staircase.

"Oh Jazz! You're alive! We were already planing yer funeral!" Teased Blaster while faking a dramatic faint.

"Har har ah hate ya two. Traitors!" He said seriously before he burst out laughing at the kicked-robopuppy look they had.

"Come on, let's get this over with."

The three of them continued walking down the hall towards their class on the other side of the enormous building, greeting many bots on the way. All of a sudden, he felt it. The urgent need to look behind him. A tug at his spark. As he turned a little, he saw it. He quickly finished turning, certain that this time he had caught whoever it was. This time he was sure he wasn't imagining things, for there amongst the crowd of bots coming and going, he saw the black and white figure, the same one he had seen many times, turn a corner. He so badly wanted to run and see who it was, but was brought back to Cybertron by his friend's voice.

"Ya okay Jazz?"

The silver mech looked back at them. He decided he could wait to chase the mystery bot for now. So as to not worry them, he put on his trademark grin and kept walking towards their own class.

"I'm okay. Not to worry."

Yet as they continued on their way, he looked back at that same corner. He felt saddened for some reason. Pushing those strange feelings aside, he ran to catch up with his friends.

* * *

O.O Who is this mech? Will Jazz ever find out?? MUAJAJAAJJAJA

**REVIEW!!!!!**


	6. Chapter 6: Prowl

Yey! We get to see Prowl!! Our favorite tactician! (sighs dreamily)

**IMPORTANT!!!!**

Again, I'm sorry to tell you but, I went back to the twin's chapter (againXD) and added sth that was in the original draft (before it got erased T.T), that I had forgotten to add. But when I re-read this chapter (which was already done before the twin's chapter), I realized what I had forgotten to write and that if I didn't add it, some stuff in this chapter woulnd't make sense. So, **GO BACK AND READ IT**!! It's before Magnus comes and yelles at them XD.

**SORRY!!**

A big thank you to my reviewers!! (tosses cookies)

**READ AND REVIEW!!!**

**PLEASE!!!**

**EDIT: 20/11/09  
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astrosecond: Cybertronian .498 Earth seconds

breem: Cybertronian 8.3 Earth minutes

cycle: Cybertronian Earth hour

megacycle: 12 Earth hour

klick: Cybertronian: Cybertronian Earth minute

nano-klick: Cybertronian Earth second

jour: Cybertronian Earth day

orn: Cybertronian 13 Earth days

vorn: Cybertronian 83 Earth years

solar cycle: Cybertronian Earth years

* * *

A lonely shadow walked down one of busy hallways deep into the fourth floor of the Lower Level's only educational facility. Like his given name, the figure prowled from shadow to shadow, walking behind many students who never noticed his presence. For him, it was a casual walk towards his next class: strategy. Yet, not wishing to be seen or talked to, the stoic mech resolved to keep himself hidden, just for the sake of having a peaceful jour.

He turned a corner evading a group of bots, who although their much younger age, had bigger forms then him, and were playing ball in the restricted space. Prowl's door wings twitched in irritation as he evaded yet another mech who stumbled backwards to catch the ball.

_"Absolutely no respect for the regulations. And then they wonder why we are called uncivilized."_ He thought grimly.

Suddenly, in the middle of all the racket, Prowl heard, almost distinctively, the laughter of the _one_ mech, he had only seen from a far.

He looked up towards the voice's owner, the voice that always seemed to make his spark pulse rapidly, as if it were calling out. Stopping walking, he saw _that_ mech come walking down the same hall he was in. He was accompanied by his two best friends, Blaster and Powerglide, who stood at his side's. Jazz, walked in the middle, talking, laughing and greeting those who looked his way.

_"Jazz."_

Prowl knew nothing about the mech, then what was already known by the whole school. Nobot did _not_ know who Jazz was. He was a music junkie, like his friend Blaster, loved to have a good time, gave the best parties in all Cybertron. Or so it was thought. He seemed to be liked by all. His happy and carefree personality making him treat every individual as equals. Apart from that, he was _the_ most, popular, sociable, coolest, sexiest and most sought out mech. Femmes and mechs alike literally fell into stasis lock as he walked by.

Prowl had never spoken to him. At all! They had never met. Their classes didn't match, as Jazz was older then him. Not that it mattered but they were both in different spheres. It was disturbing to the black and white mech, that his spark would react in such an intimate way by the other's presence for no apparent reason.

He watched as the other mech walked right by him, a group of squealing femmes blocking him from the other's view. _"Not that he would notice anyway." _He was saddened and surprised by the sudden thought.

He had always been a loner, keeping to himself. His creators had made him to be purely logical. He loved puzzles and everything that had to do with strategy. His teachers had even suggested him to be moved up two levels in that department. Though Prowl loved this idea it also scared him, because he would have to move into another sphere. Each sphere was unique and even if he was a loner, everybot in his own, the 6th sphere, knew him and left him alone. Moving into another sphere was like moving into another world and that frightened him a bit. To be looked as the 'new mech' and be treated differently.

Being the logical mech that he was, made this new discovery in his spark something entirely new. It brought new and alien emotions to him. One's which he had no idea how to cope with. Everybot that knew him, called him cold, sparkless. His only friend, his only true friend was a much younger mech called Bluestreak who was also in a different sphere, the 3rd sphere, from him. They lived in the same building and had somehow ended as a his sparkling-sitter many many vorns ago. He still had no clue how that had happened, but now, the smaller mech seemed to be glued to him. He was glad to have somebot to talk to, even if he never shared his troubles with the youngling.

For a little while, he kept looking at Jazz's back. Transfixed. Then, shaking his head to clear it of illogical thoughts, he turned and continued on his way, turning into another hall. Little did he know, that at that exact moment, the silver mech had stopped, suddenly feeling the urgent need to look behind him, a confused look on his faceplates. If his optics wouldn't have been covered by his visor, one would have seen that he was slightly squinting, as if searching for something in the middle of the raging hallway. Although the mass of bot's, he identified a figure, the same one he had seen many times, turn a corner.

Jazz fought down the desire to run and see just who it was. He was getting very tired of this game.

"Ya okay Jazz?"

The silver mech looked back at his friends. So as to not worry them, he put on his trademark grin and kept walking towards their own class.

"I'm okay. Not to worry."

Yet as they continued on their way, he looked back at that same corner. He felt saddened for some reason. Pushing those strange feelings aside, he ran to catch up with his friends.

* * *

As usual, Prowl was the first mech in the class room. Sitting slouched forward into the desk, was his professor Onslaught. Truth be told, he didn't like him. Nor did he like _any_ of his gestalt-brothers. The younger one, Swindle, was still enrolled as a student, while the others were either teachers or worked outside the school. He was somewhat arrogant and had very little patience. When a student wouldn't understand, or things wouldn't go his way, the blue mech would turn to violence, often throwing stuff around the room.

When Onslaught had told him, that he was amazed by his ability to analyze any combat situation almost instantaneously and then advise on the optimal course of action was unique, in an almost proud tone, had left him perplexed. And even more so when he had continued his praising by telling him, that he could be changed to a higher level of study.

Prowl had been delighted, yet very suspicious. This mech, the same mech that hated anybot better then him, was actually helping him? Prowl thought that it was probably so when he failed at the higher levels, he could gloat and humiliate him in front of everybot. Well, Prowl was _not_ going to fail, that was for sure.

"Professor Onslaught." He greeted politely.

"Ahh Prowl! Good ta see ya. Listen. I talked to Ultra Magnus and the board. Considering your high qualifications and almost clean record-"

"Almost?"

The blue mech stared hard at the white and black youngling, who looked back at him with a raised optic ridge.

"Yes well, even if there is no evidence of your involvement in many 'accidents' that occurred during your time here, many suspect you, and you know how this stuff works. Don't worry about it kid. What dose it matter? It's not like you're going to enlist in the elite guard or something like that."

Prowl was very proud of his capability to remain cool headed in any situation. But that didn't mean that there weren't times when he was tempted to bash other mech's helms in. He _had_ let this emotion called, anger drive him to form pay back plans on other bots. Always executing them with a precision that other's would die for. Of course, he was never identified as the culprit, and the victim had to confess to never having seen the mech. It was his way of blowing off steam. Not too long ago, he had gotten back at a mech named Windstorm.

That thought made his frustration lessen. Prowl made a gesture for the other to continue.

"As I was saying before, the board has approved in my decision to pass you to a higher combat and strategy study course. As of tomorrow, you'll be transfered into the 11th sphere. You will be going to classroom 6508, your new teacher's designation: Shockwave."

Shockwave. The mech was one of the best at his work. He was a scientist, yet his perfectionism at everything he did had led him to reconstruct and to find the flaws in any kind of system. His greatest student's designation, one who usually took over the class when Shockwave was out conducting an experiment, much to Ultra Magnus's delight, was Soundwave. He was a monotone mech and to Prowl's judgement was the very definition of cold. He was appalled and hurt to be called the same when he didn't find any resemblance to the other's personality, either then their love for puzzles.

"Thank you professor, you won't regret it."

With that, he headed towards his desk, at the back of the room, pretending not to hear Onslaught murmur to himself: "I just hope you fail."

Prowls door wings were made out of very sensitive wiring, which made every sound, as clear as if he was hearing it right next to his audio receptors. Something as small as a whisper could be to Prowl, the same as someone speaking directly into his audio receptors. It was a curse and a blessing. Maybe that was why he got along so well with the young Bluestreak who also had door wings.

The stoic mech continued to ponder on this new change in his life until the classroom started to fill with students and class started.

* * *

Lunch break had arrived and Prowl found himself walking in a deserted hallway. Not that he minded. The cafeteria had too many bots for his liking. He stopped walking and looked out a window. Not that there was anything to see but the dark ceiling and the ruins of various buildings.

Prowl wasn't stupid. Having his super advanced analytic programs and battle computer, he had seen the Lower Level's future. Soon, the Elite Guard would get tired of them, and would finally find a way to dispose of them once and for all. While the majority of the students were living an ignorant life to what was happening around them, more accurately, above them, the white and black mech found himself fearing the future. If there was another 'cleansing phase', this time only a minority would survive. But he wasn't sure if the ones that survived would have the will to continue living.

He shook his head. There was no point in thinking about it for now. Besides, who would listen to him? Right now, he had to survive high school and all the violent bots. Which reminded him. He hadn't seen _him_ that jour.

Suddenly, he tensed as his door wings picked up a presence behind him. Before he could react, two large arms rapped themselves around his waist bringing him back in to a bulky chassis. "Heya Prowl, ya missed me?" Whispered huskily a low voice.

_"I spoke too soon."_ Prowl thought grimly.

"Lockdown, let go. Now." He said coldly, not moving a wire.

"Tsk tsk, what am I gonna do with ya? Always so tense." Replied the black and green mech, backing up a little, only to bring his servos on the other's door wings and started to rub them up and down softly over the sensitive appendages.

Turning and jumping backwards as soon as he felt the other touching him, the black and white mech glared daggers at the other. "Don't. Touch. Me." He hissed venomously.

"Ohoo, feisty today aren't we?" Lockdown chuckled. "I like that."

"What do you want Lockdown?"

"Do I need an excuse to have some, _alone_ time with what's mine?"

Prowl growled again, his optics narrowing at the implications in the larger mech's words. Where the mismatched mech had gotten the idea that he belonged to him, he had no idea. This wasn't the first time Lockdown had said something as crude as this, but Prowl had managed to set the other straight before. But now, even if he didn't want to admit it, things were getting complicated. The black and white feared that the day where he wouldn't be able to fight him off would come soon. What was he to do then?

"What ever made to think that I _belong_ to you?" He asked, his voice so cold, it was a wonder the other hadn't frozen on the spot.

"Because I said so. Every bot knows you're my possession." Replied the other as if it were the most natural and obvious thing in the universe.

"I am _not_ a toy! Specially not yours!" Shot back Prowl as nastily as he could. He made sure his words contained as much disgust as he could. But Lockdown didn't look at all affected.

"Hmm, thats what you think. The time will come when I'll make you mine."

"And what, pray tell makes you think that?"

"Well, for one, you were transfered to another sphere isn't that right?" Lockdown asked with a smug smile.

"How did you-"

The larger mech cut Prowl off. "Cutthroat told me that there'd be a transfer to our sphere."

At this, the smaller mech felt his spark freeze in realization.

"Don't tell me that..."

Seeing that he couldn't finish the sentence, Lockdown provided him with the feared answer. "Yup, you're being transfered to my sphere. We get to see each other every jour now."

The two mechs stood in silence. Lockdown had leaned against the hallway's wall looking at Prowl's shocked expression with a predatory smile, his optics showed with lust and that, disgusted the black and white to no end. Prowl on the other hand, was standing in a slight defensive stance, not willing to let his guard down for one klick in the other's presence. He could feel his logic center suffering with the information it received. Before any more could be said between them, the bell rang through out the whole school. Prowl had literally, been saved by the bell.

Lockdown chuckled, before he stood straight. "Well settle this some other time. Don't feel too lonely without me darling." He said huskily before walking away.

Prowl didn't response to the mech's teasing, the anger and shock that burned through his body left him incapable of forming a sentence, though on the outside he showed nothing. He hated Lockdown. He didn't want to admit it to himself, but he also feared the larger mech. Knowing he would now see him every jour made him feel sick and vulnerable. If he had known he would be in Lockdown's sphere before, he would have rejected the idea of moving up two levels. But now there was nothing he could do, but survive.

* * *

O.O OH NO! WHAT'S PROWL GOING TO DO!!

As you noticed, I included Lockdown from Animated to the story, cause I loved his interactions with Prowl hehe. But every one else is from G1, except Ironhide (cause I loved him in the movie version.) Jazz is still G1 but I describe him as silver cause he looked so cool in the movie in that color XD.

Just wanted to get that straight.

Oh, about the spheres, that will be explained later, so don't worry.


	7. Chapter 7: Orion Pax

HELLO!!!!! Sorry for the lateness! I've bee stuck with classes and then I got sick! I even had to be admitted to the hospital so... sorry!

Okay, a few things before you can start. One, this chapter contains _a lot _of information. Two, this is _before_ Ultra Magnus's meeting with Ratchet, and three... I edited all the other chapters, fixed stuff that were messed up and changed a few things. Just to let you know that =D

Okay, enough...

**READ AND REVIEW!!**

**PLEASE!!!**

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astrosecond: Cybertronian .498 Earth seconds

breem: Cybertronian 8.3 Earth minutes

cycle: Cybertronian Earth hour

megacycle: 12 Earth hour

klick: Cybertronian: Cybertronian Earth minute

nano-klick: Cybertronian Earth second

jour: Cybertronian Earth day

orn: Cybertronian 13 Earth days

vorn: Cybertronian 83 Earth years

solar cycle: Cybertronian Earth years

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This was one of the times where Orion wished he wasn't head of sphere. Sure it had it's perks and all. You always had an excuse for being late to any class, you could leave in the middle of it for 'duties', and nobot had the right to bully, insult or assault you. After all, you gained the position through vote. And his whole sphere had voted for him. At first he had been ecstatic for the trust and admiration they all showed in him. That was until he had learned about the 'duties'.

One of them, was regular meetings for all the head of spheres _way_ too early for his liking, where they would discuss how things were going, who was giving too much trouble and the ways to deal with it, future activities and events, all in all, they ran the spheres.

The spheres were different worlds all together. Some could be violent, some could be full of smart and calm mechs, others had some of everything and others were looked down upon. They all had different traditions, different codes, rules, beliefs. The existence of the spheres had been one of the reasons for the numerous gangs that had appeared. Many of these 'worlds' were based on one thing and one thing alone. Loyalty.

In other words, 'mess with one of us, mess with all of us'. This was also one of the reasons why it was so rare to see bots from different spheres together. It wasn't that it was prohibited or seen as something bad. It was just that the groups were so tight that they didn't see the need to leave their bubble of comfort, of familiarity. Some spheres even shared the same classes together but they didn't necessarily interact outside them.

Orion sighed. His sphere was difficult to handle. Not because the bots in it were trouble makers or violent. Though they did exist. But because he 'controlled' the last sphere, the one full of bots in their fourth frame. This meant, they had all been taken from their original sphere as soon as they reached adulthood and into his sphere where they would do deep studying and more advanced courses. It was also where they would answer their calling.

Right now there were thirteen spheres. Each had up to a thousand bots, some even more.

Ultra Magnus was head of the first sphere, since this was were the bots that were only now gaining access to education were and weren't mature enough to pick a leader amongst themselves. Many pitied him for the though job. But hey, nobot wanted to take his place.

The second sphere was led by Nightbeat, a tough, street-hardened mech with great love for puzzles and mystery. Always on the look out for the causes of any problems or suspicious activities, he helped Magnus enormously keeping track of the mechs in his and other sphere's activities and reporting to him. He helped keep a certain order to the bots. He was destined to be a great detective when he received his fourth frame. His only defect, one could say, was that he was not above resorting to dirty tricks in order to further his investigations, and sometimes, it showed.

One of the most ancient and wise mech was head of the third sphere. A gentle and exotic mech called Kup. He was a history teacher, one everybot loved. His talent for story telling and teaching had bots from every sphere want to be in one of his classes. It was rumored that he had been online before the school had been created.

The forth sphere was run by Hot Spot, a very young and good mech. Hot Shot always aimed to help others in anyway. He was studying rescue courses and most bots in his spheres were all taking courses related to 'assisting society'. This mainly meant they their classes were related to medicine, search and rescue and any course that would later serve to assist others. His brothers were all in his sphere and helped him check up on the most troublesome bots.

Onslaught, a strategist, ran the fifth sphere. He wasn't liked by many, but since one of his brothers was still in his third frame and had a lot of 'power' amongst the younglings, he had managed to blackmail most of the bots in his sphere to choose his brother as 'head'.

The sixth sphere was controlled by the troublemaker Sidesway. Magnus had no idea how this mech had managed to gain the title of 'head', but it hadn't been a total chaos as he had thought it would be. Sideways had incredibly turned out to be a reliable leader. He didn't feel loyalty as strongly as any other bot would, but he didn't like others messing with his 'reign', so using his skills to manipulate others, he always managed to confuse his opponents and mislead them into traps set by himself that would get them into a lot of trouble with Magnus and the board. In other words, his twisted personality brought chaos to others.

A gentle and polite mech called Miststream, was in charge of running the seventh sphere. He was one of the science teachers specialized in circuitry. Magnus didn't know how the pacific mech managed to do anything as head as he was somewhat of a pushover.

Now here was a mech that Ultra Magnus didn't trust or even like. But as director, he had no place in making his opinions known of even act on them. Shockwave, teacher and head of the eighth sphere, was a cold and indifferent mech. His sphere was full of either, very violent or uncaring bots. Shockwave believed in one thing and one thing only. Logic. It practically dictated his entire life. One of the reasons that he let the bots under his control run loose, was because he said that it was logical for younglings to seek means to vent off their useless emotions. What Magnus hated the most about the mech, was that he always had his own agenda, many times not showing for work, or leaving in the middle of it to go do Primus knew what. When that happened, he would leave his number one student Soundwave in charge of his classes which annoyed Magnus to no end.

The ninth sphere was full of the 'popular' bots. Jib, their head, was a very loved bot. He was one of the most popular younglings in the school. Probably second to a mech named Jazz. If there was something the bots in the ninth sphere were good at, were good shows, parties and any kind of creative event. Most of them were show-offs but they were more interested in being known by all and having fun then causing problems or being violent. It was an easy going sphere with much fun and games, much to Magnus horror. Those bots never took studying seriously.

Magnus didn't know how it happened. They wasn't even supposed to have been an 'election' for a new head. But somehow, Wheeljack, the new teacher had become head of the tenth sphere. The director was at first scared for the youngling's safety. After all, no matter how nice and friendly the engineer was, a head that blew himself up along some of the student was kinda dangerous. But the students loved him and his sphere was full of very calm and gentle bots, so he guessed there wasn't any problems. Key word being 'guessed'.

The eleventh sphere was very, if not, the most violent. Most of the gang fights were started or finished by the bots in it. Their leader was a very violent and indifferent mech named Cutthroat. Magnus hadn't wanted to give him the title of head. But it had been by vote and there had been nothing he could do.

Now here was a reliable mech. Skyfire, head of both the science department and head of the twelfth sphere was a gentle spark. He hated violence and aimed to correct by example. The bots in his sphere were rather calm but there were a few exceptions that were sometime a metal thorn in his side. But the students respected him and Skyfire always looked to make the bots in his sphere do everything with joy and never complaining about difficulties.

The last sphere was were Orion found himself. As said before, he took care of the newly framed bots that felt lost and vulnerable leaving the safe haven that was until recently, their spheres. Orion helped them adapt to another world, where they had to interact with bots they might not have ever talked to if they hadn't been taken from their small worlds. It was hard as many suffered the change, but Magnus was proud of Orion. He was a true leader, always referring to the bots with kindness, gentleness and patience. Magnus had no doubt that the mech would one jour become someone important with an important role in life.

Orion sighed. This meeting had been going on for cycles. There were only two more topics in the agenda.

"Onslaught." Called Magnus to the bot that seemed to have dozed off at some point. Not that Orion blamed him.

"Yes sir?"

"Have you told Prowl about the change of sphere?"

"Yes, just before class started, tomorrow he will report to Shockwave's classroom for his first class. Then, a bot from his new sphere, the eleventh, will escort him to the sphere's common room to meet the head, Cutthroat."

"Huh?" Came the groggy response from a dark red and purple mech.

"Cutthroat, " Started Magnus with a sigh. "You do remember that there will be a new bot in your sphere right?"

"Oh... yeah well, whatever." And with that, the mech went back into recharge.

Magnus controlled himself from doing something rash, like throwing something at the youngling.

"I still do not see why we have granted this bot a change." Spoke up Sideway from his place sprawled over the table. "So he's a little more talented then the others, big deal."

"Sideways, Prowl has already passed every test and course that my sphere will ever learn. There is nothing more for him to do here. The eleventh sphere is more challenging, more extreme." Miststream intervened, trying to defend the mech that until now had been under his care.

"But it's never been done before!" Sideways said angered glaring at the orange mech. He was a mech that liked tradition, and there was no record in their history that dictated a change of sphere, aside from that of the thirteenth.

"And what, do you suggest we do?" Skyfire asked. "Kick him out of the school still in his third frame?"

Sideways glared at the teacher, but said nothing.

"But, I'm worried about how he'll adapt. He's very quiet and doesn't like to be the center of attention or be bothered. Plus, he's peaceful and calm and doesn't like resorting to violence. _Must_ it be the eleventh sphere?" Mistream asked Magnus, worry clear in his optics.

Magnus sighed.

"What's wrong with me sphere?" Demanded a now very awake Cutthroat.

"Well for one," Intervened Wheeljack "I hear it's very violent. I've had the honor of teaching the youngling, I don't think he'll like you sphere Cutthroat, no offense." He said cheerfully, ear fins glowing.

"Yes, that is my main worry." The head of the seventh sphere said.

"Well, if the mech ain't' strong enough to survive my sphere then he clearly don't belong there!"

Onslaught smirked, if his plan worked, he _wouldn't _be there too long. Genius he may be, but he wasn't a fighter.

"This isn't about survival, Cutthroat." Orion said a little angry. "The younglings are here to obtain education, not fighting experience."

Cutthroat snorted.

"Miststream, you will still remain as Prowls confident and may see him when you wish, the same goes for him. Just because he is moving from his sphere doesn't mean he'll cut all ties. And yes, it must be that sphere because it is the one with the most advanced tactical simulation programs."

The orange bot said nothing but the worry was still there. He'd see to it that Prowl was treated alright in his new sphere. He planned on visiting the youngling when ever he could.

"Alright, now that that is settled, I'm sure you'll be happy to hear that starting from today, we have a new med bot."

Surprised gasps and outraged yells erupted from the bots in the room.

"What?! You've got to be kidding me?" Said Sideways.

"Oh finally, I was getting worried we wouldn't be able to care for the younglings if..." Skyfire said relived.

Jib laughed. "Now we have somewhere to send the teachers that can't stand the high volumes of music, I remember the other jour..."

Hot Spot looked worried. "I hope he's a kind bot that actually knows how to heal..."

Wheeljack stayed silent, silently enjoying the attention his friend was receiving, be it good or bad. Oh when the mechs found out who he was, some were gonna have a spark attack. The engineer giggled to himself.

Cutthroat looked giddy if not amused. "Oh goody, fresh energon."

"Another incompetent fool has come here?" Shockwave asked to nobot in particular.

"This one better be good..." Nighbeat said to himself.

"He's not like the last one or Mendless right?" Miststream asked.

"What are you mechs complaining about? This is good news!" Kup jumped in.

"Kup is right." Orion intervened, his sudden interaction startling some of the mechs. "The last med bot was a sprakless mech that filled the younglings sparks with fear, but from Magnus has told me, this mech is different, very different."

The present looked at Ultra Magnus, some doubtful, some curious and some relieved. Wheeljack shot Orion a thankful look.

"Yes, I'm sure some of you know the designation Ratchet."

Again the room was filled by the bots talking one over the other.

"You're kidding! _HE'S_ here!?!?"

"Ratchet? Who's that?"

"You mean you don't _know_!?"

"Primus! I can't believe such a bot is here of all-"

"Isn't he from the Upper Levels?"

Magnus had had it. It was getting late and said med bot would probably be arriving soon.

"ENOUGH!" He yelled. "Yes, for those of you who don't know..." He shot Cutthroat a look." Ratchet is a very famous med bot in the Upper Levels..."

"How did an Upper Leveler end up here?" Sideways asked before Magnus could continue.

"He was, is, and always will be a Lower Leveler."

Some bots looked surprised by this information.

"I'm sure you all know about the pandemic that hit Cybertron millions of vorns ago." At the bot's nod he continued. "Ratchet was the mech that found the cure, and he was just a sparkling."

"WHAT!? " Cried some mechs.

"Wait, how old is he?" Asked Cutthroat.

"He hasn't left his third frame yet." Wheeljack intervened happily.

"WHAT!?"

"Wait, why are you so happy?" Jib asked.

Wheeljack continued to giggle before answering. "Well, Ratchet's my very good friend."

"WHAT!?!?!?!"

Orion sighed. The mechs could be such sparklings at times. "Wheeljack and Ratchet are both Lower Levelers, they went to the Upper Levels together where they studied their respective callings."

The engineer looked surprised that Orion knew this and shot him a confused look, which the red and blue mech caught.

"Not all of us are blinded from the outside world." He said. Many of the mechs ducked their helms in shame at the simple yet heavy words.

"He will be performing as CMO and I expect all of you to inform your spheres about him. Gentlemechs, I do _not_ want to hear of bots harassing the medic on his first jour with us." The last was said as he glared at Kup's direction.

The history teacher put his servos up in defense. "Hey, I'll tell the twins and even threaten them if you want. That doesn't mean anything and you know it."

Several mech laughed at that. The twin terrors were famous around the school. Some of their pranks were legends and many waited for the next spectacle against whatever clueless bot they chose.

"Just, _try_ and get them to at _least_ meet the mech before they try to offline him." Magnus pleaded, a tired sigh escaping him.

With that, Magnus called the meeting to an end and every mech left to their own common room to wait for class to start.

* * *

Orion walked through the dimly lit corridors towards the thirteenths common room. It was a large chamber with tables, chairs and even sofas were the bots could relax. It served both as a rec. room and library, the walls full of data pads. Many bots stayed in there to study, skip class or hide in. The common rooms for all the spheres were also were you could fin any bot trying to not have to go back home.

Orion sighed. It would probably be empty as there were a few cycles before the classes started. Magnus was on his way to meet the new CMO and debrief him on the going ons of the school. Though he had no doubt that Wheeljack had told him plenty.

It had surprised him a lot when they heard the news that Wheeljack was going to be a teacher in their school. Not only that, they were all surprised to hear that someone from the Upper Levels had actually set foot in the Lower Levels. It didn't matter that he _was_ a Lower Leveler. One would think that seeing the wealth and commodity of the 'upper society', one wouldn't want to leave.

When Orion first met the engineer/mechanic's teacher, he had thought he would meet a stuck up with a superiority complex. But he had been wrong. Oh how wrong had he been. Wheeljack was, for no other word... normal. If not a bit eccentric and ... explosive. He still remembered his first meeting with him. It had ended with both of them in them med bay, where Wheeljack learned the truth behind the fear in the optics of the younglings when the word med bay was said. The engineer had been so shocked at the brutality Mendless and the then CMO Breaker had shown when fixing them both up, that he had stayed silent through out the whole thing.

After that, Wheeljack had started ranting about how it was unacceptable for those two mechs to be allowed anywhere near a medical tool and starter mumbling about telling his 'friend' about it all. Orion had been amused and glad for the concern the other showed.

Reaching the common room on the ninth floor in the west wing, he checked his chronometer. He was always surprised by how long it took him to go from the meeting room to this side of the school. Exactly ten breems. The school was divided into four wings. The north, south, east and west wing. The north and south were where the spheres one to six were, and in the east and west wings were the spheres from seven to thirteen. There were three more buildings surrounding the school. One, was the med bay, the other two were the training grounds. The two of them together were almost as big as the school. It was amazing how they were still standing. Training classes were the only ones the younglings ever took seriously. It was serious fun, as his friend Ironhide always said. Once inside, he picked one of the lone sofas near a window at the back of the room. There wasn't anything to see. Ruins among ruins and pure darkness was all he could see. It was depressing. He longed to see the stars. He had only seen then in holo-vids and even then they had been beautiful to his optics.

Orion shook his head at that thought. It was a Primus-sent gift that that mech was actually a kind spark bot under all that bad ass fiasco, or many bots would be offlined.

::Orion!::

::Yes Ironhide?:: Responded Orion into his comm. link.

::Finally finished with the meeting? How it'd go?:: Was he laughing? Orion groaned.

::Everything I told you was talked about, and no, I did not ask for real live simulation programs for training.::

:: Ya're no fun Orion, ya know that right.:: He responded with a pout.

::When are you coming? Or do you intent on skipping... again?::

::Nah, I'll go, but when it's actually time to go. I can't believe the hour you guys meet, five cycles before the bell rings? Primus, I wouldn't want you job.:: Laughed Ironhide.

::And I suppose that is way _you_ voted for _me_ when some of the others voted for you.:: Orion asked with rebuke.

::Please, I can do many things, an early wake up is not one of them. I get cranky, and you know that when I get cranky, things get blown away::

Orion sighed. ::I'll meet you when you come, I'm tired and going to rest till classes start. Don't bother me until then.::

There was silence on the other side of the comm-link. ::Are you still thinking about it?:

::About what?::

:You know what I'm talking about. You're always this... moody around this time.::

::Well of course! Today is his creation date!:: He responded surprised that the other even had to ask.

Ironhide sighed. ::You have to let go Orion, how many centuries have passed?::

::Not enough.:: Came the dry reply.

::Fine, go get some rest, I'll meet you before class.::

With that, they both closed their comm-links. Leaning back into the sofa, he off-lined his optics and tried to get some rest, the image of a certain sparkling hunting his dreams.

* * *

YEY FINISHED! So, like?? XD

PLEASE REVIEW!! I NEED THE HAPPINESS!


	8. Chapter 8: Ironhide

Uff sorry for the delay! My bunny died so I was stuck T.T

Well, enjoy!

**READ AND REVIEW PLEASE!**

* * *

astrosecond: Cybertronian .498 Earth seconds

breem: Cybertronian 8.3 Earth minutes

cycle: Cybertronian Earth hour

megacycle: 12 Earth hour

klick: Cybertronian: Cybertronian Earth minute

nano-klik: Cybertronian Earth second

jour: Cybertronian Earth day

orn: Cybertronian 13 Earth days

vorn: Cybertronian 83 Earth years

solar cycle: Cybertronian Earth year

* * *

Ironhide winced as another dent was popped. No matter how gentle and careful one was, popping out dents would always be either uncomfortable or a bit painful. And the grey mech had to admit that the new med bot was being _very_ careful and the yellow youngling seemed to only be in a bit of discomfort.

This surprised him a great deal. Almost all the med bots that had come to this school had been abusive and didn't really care about the younglings. There had been some med bots from the clinic who did truly want to help. But the youngling's fear of medics quickly had them plotting to get the med bots to leave. And of course, those pit spawned twins from the third sphere didn't help matters at all.

He watched the med bot work. When Orion had told him the new med bot (and this was the only thing he had told him), was from the Upper Levels, Ironhide had expected to meet a snobby stuck up mech who wouldn't survive the jour. But Ultra Magnus had said this new mech was different. And different he was. When the director had left, Mendless (and Primus how he hated that mech), had started trying to tell Ratchet off, trying to make him submit to his will. Surprisingly, the only thing that earned him was a rather loud and long lecture that had Mendless running for his office.

He chuckled, remembering that moment. That small performance had earn the medic a little of his respect. There weren't many that dared to put up with the medical assistant,

"Primus youngling, some of these dents are orns old! Have you got nothing better to do then to get yourself kicked around?" Ratchet asked irritably as he worked on a dent on his back, though Ironhide noticed a bit of hidden concern in his expression. Tilting his head to study the medic better, he wondered what mask was the real one.

Bumblebee jumped at that, shocked. He turned a little to be able to see the med bot's face. "How did you know these dents are from being kicked?"

Ratchet sighed, angry at how this youngling had been treated. _"Don't get too attached."_ He reminded himself. _"I bet almost all the younglings are in a similar state or worse."_ The thought made him ill but at the same time more determined that coming here had been the right thing to do.

"I just know." He responded not really wanting to get into the difference of how a dent looked like or the depth it had from a kick, punch or from a weapon.

"Oh." Bumblebee thought for a second and then, smiling he brought his arm up and pointing at a dent on his forearm. "Can you tell how I got this."

Ratchet glared at the youngling. "It's not funny." He said seriously, though seeing the sad pout on the yellow bot he relented. "Probably when you were hit with something long and thin."

Bumblebee clapped his servos together amused. "You're good." He said. He had seen a lot of medics in his time. _A lot_. And most of them hadn't even been able to tell a dent from a scrap.

Ironhide watched silently impressed by the medic's knowledge and character. He seemed to truly want to help though his manners were a bit lacking. He was no fool, he could see all the snark remarks he had wanted to throw at the youngling but had controlled himself.

His optics turned to the yellow youngling. He fought to understand the sudden urge to protect him. He barely knew the mechlet though he had caught glimpses of the bot being bullied several times. Not only that, but he looked strangely familiar. But…. nah it wasn't possible.

"Do you have any life threatening injuries I should know of?" Ironhide was interrupted in his thoughts by the medic's words. Crossing his arms he smirked at the medic. "What? Cant' you tell?" He asked teasingly.

Glaring at the slightly larger and bulkier mech, he ran his optics from his helm to his pedes and with a frustrated sigh went back to popping the youngling's dents while speaking in a casual manner.

"Your right knee joint needs replacement, you hip joint is dislocated which is why you walk with a slight yet almost undetectable limp. Your left shoulder plate twitches once in a while which means you have a bunch of circuits caught against something, no doubt you rammed into or were rammed by someone. Apart from some minor dents and cuts here and there, your right cannon is malfunctioning, the scorch marks melting with your paint-job are a proof of that." He looked up from an opened mouth, wide optic youngling to stare at a shocked and gaping Ironhide. Ratchet couldn't help the smug grin that decided to grace his features.

"Pit, it wouldn't surprise me if you needed a full maintenance check."

Ironhide shook himself awake from the sheer shock of being told his injured right down to the last scratch. Oh this medic wasn't good. He was exceptional. Not that he'd say something like that out loud. He had a reputation to keep as the bad ass mech of the school thank you very much.

"Oh? So what are you gong to do about it huh? Medic." He said with a challenging tone.

Ratchet glared at him and realized that this mech was probably very hard to deal with in every aspect.

"Just what I need." He thought tiredly.

"I'm going to treat you of course."

"Ha! Fat chance I let you near me med bot!"

Bumblebee looked at both mechs noticing the tension growing and shrank a little into himself. He was used into getting caught in the crossfire of older mech's fights but, this time one of the mechs was _Ironhide_. And Bumblebee did _not_ want to get caught in the middle of one of the explosions of the mech's cannons. And Ratchet seemed to be pretty though. For a med bot. No. He did _not_ want to be stuck in the middle of this fight.

"Um, Ironhide? Don't you have class to go to?" He asked tentatively trying to get the mechs to cool down.

Ironhide and Ratchet kept on the glaring contest. Before the grey mech smirked making the medic frown.

"Ya know. I've seen a lot of med bots in my time-"

"I hadn't noticed you were _that_ old." Ratchet cutoff snorting. Bumblebee tried to stifle a laugh but didn't manage it. Though the second his optics met Ironhide's he went quiet. He did _not_ want to die.

The grey mech glared at the medic for interrupting him. "I was gonna say that ya seemed different and all but ah'm starting ta think that ya'll med bots are all cranky nannybots."

Ratchet froze. "Nannybot?"

"Ya heard meh."

"You got some nerve calling _me_ a nannybot when you're older then me!"

Ironhide stood straighter and glared. Both mechs stood, never taking their optics off of the other. Bumblebee could practically feel the energy daggers they were throwing at each other. He tried to make himself as small as possible on the medical berth, trying to get his systems to quiet down. He wasn't the least bit surprised to see that Ironhide would want to fight the new med bot. He was known for getting into fights. The only difference was,that this was the first time he was literally in the middle of it.

Ironhide's cannons powered up, rotating a bit. Ratchet, raising an optic ridge merely grabbed one of his wrenched making the grey mech look at him questioningly.

Too distracted trying to stare the other down, they didn't notice when the bulky form of Mendless came back into the room.

Bumblebee tensed as the shadow of the massive mech loomed over him. Slowly in turned to look at the dark purple mech.

"He- hello Mend- Mendless." He stuttered quietly. Starscream and his trine, he could deal with. They were cowards and even if they liked to treat him as a ball, they didn't inflict the same fear that Mendless did.

"What are you still doing here runt? Get out unless you want some nice cuts to go with you pain." He said sneering. To make his point, his left arm change and twisted until several sharp items appeared.

Bumblebee wilted and was about to bolt when there was a resounding 'clang`followed by a curse and surprised scream.

Mendless, Bumblebee and Ironhide stood shocked at what had just happened. The medic… had just thrown the wrench he was holding at Mendless helm with perfect aim.

Now Ironhide understood what that had been his 'weapon of choice' during their small battle of wills.

"Don't you get off that berth youngling! You are not leaving until I have you fully repaired." Ratchet came up to the youngling, gently making him lie down on the med berth. He frowned as he noticed that the small mech was trembling.

"And you." The power of his glare had to be the most powerful of all glares the mechs in the room had ever seen. Even Ironhide, grumbling about being interrupted from his optic match, was impressed. Mendless even found himself taking a step back, servo still rubbing his sore and dented helm, almost disbelievingly.

"I thought I told you before. Don't _ever_ threaten or mistreat a youngling in front of me, I'll have your backstruts."

Ironhide stood back watching silently. He had to give the mech credit. Even some mechs from the seventh sphere were intimidated by Mendless. To see the med bot not only protect the yellow youngling, but to also threaten and stare down the other mech, and Primus throw a wrench! …. Yep, Ratchet had officially earned Ironhide's _full_ respect.

He had to chuckle to himself at that. There weren't many mechs that held Ironhie's respect. Orion was one no doubt about that. Then there was Ultra Magnus, pit did the mech earn his respect from day one. Trying to keep an organized system to maintain the younglings integrated and coming to school and staying sane at the same time. The mech was a saint.

It took a click for Mendless to gather his thoughts. Glaring at Ratchet, he took a few menacing steps forward, making Bumblebee sit up in fear and try to get off the berth again. This time Ratchet didn't stop him. He knew he wouldn't just be able to threaten the other and 'boom' everything would be just dandy. He knew blows would be exchanged and he didn't want the already damaged youngling in the way.

Already having rounded the med berth, Mendless towered over the medic, but Ratchet stood his ground. Trembling in fear for both himself the the new medic whom he had come to trust in the small timeframe they had met, an unusual feat, Bumblebee looked around to see if there was somewhere to run or something he could use as a weapon. He almost jumped when he saw Ironhide coming over. He'd completely forgotten the even bulkier and menacing looking mech.

Ironhide had patiently waited a few paces away as he saw both powers clash. The CMO VS the assistant. Seeing Mendless intentions to 'put Ratchet in his place', he quickly studied the medic's frame. There didn't seem to be any weapons hidden in the mech's armor except for a few medical tools that 'could' be used to do some harm, as recently proven. His armor wasn't strong enough to be useful in a battle. But in a sane world, why would a medic need one?

Mendless spared a glance at Ironhide's direction before ignoring him completely as he stared into Ratchet's, frustratingly fearless, optics with hate.

"Watch yourself Ratchet. You do not belong here and your Upper Level's ideals are trash! There is only one rule down here, if you're not strong enough to survive, you don't deserve to live."

Bumblebee gulped at that, knowing just too well the Lower Level's rule. How he wished his had been sparked with a bigger and stronger frame.

Ratchet fell his anger raising. To imply such a thing in front of him. His scans showed him the youngling behind him was scared out of his processor. He growled, anger rushing through his circuits.

"Now you listen here. I've already told you but it seems your processor must be glitching if don't remember. _I_ am CMO here, what _I_ say goes, who _I_ deem 'worthy' of living is _my_ decision, and if you think you can threaten me to submit to you then you are deadly mistaken. I don't care if you have all those nasty weapons hidden in your armor, I don't care if you are bigger and stronger then me, this is _my_ med bay and in here_ I_ am the alpha. So unless you have something useful to say or do, leave **_immediately_**." The pure anger he saw in the medic's optics was more powerful then his seething words. For a moment, Mendless doubted. It would be so easy to hurt this mech. He had done it with the medics that had come before this one. Why did he hesitant to lift his servo against this one?

Confused and angry, Mendless, against all his instincts, charged a the medic.

It all happened fast. Bumblebee screamed in fright and ran for cover under one of the med berths. Ratchet, even if he had expected it it had come us a surprise, tried to dodge but there was not enough room, as he found out when his back hit the wall.

Cursing, he prepared himself as best as he could to take the impact, his optics didn't leave those of Mendless, defiant to the end. Raising his arms to lower the damage the impact would no doubly make to his thin armor, Ratchet was surprised when the purple mech seemed to throw himself to the side, crashing into the med berth Bumblebee had been and, sending it crashing into the one next to it along side Mendless.

Surprised and shocked, Ratchet just stared, his arms still raised.

"Fraggin' glitch! Should just shoot ya and end everyone's suffering!"

Ratchet's surprised optics turned to see Ironhide coming to stand beside him, cannon's cracking.

The grey mech cursed some more before turning to look at the medic and smirked at his gapping face.

"What? Forgot 'bout me already?" He teased.

"You- you-" Ratchet knew he should probably thank the mech for, and he was only going to think it once, saving him but, as he watched Mendless try to get up and groaning in pain, the medic in him overtook that knowledge.

"You moron!" Now it was Iornhide's turn to be confused. "Now I have to fix him too!"

"What! I just- You ungrateful glitch!"

"Ungreatful! You just gave me more work! Why on Cybertron should I be grateful!"

While the two mechs bickered, Bumblebee slowly came out of his hiding place behind his seniors completely shocked about what had just happened. He looked back and forth at the two mechs and slowly, a smile came to his face.

"That-"

Both mechs stopped, starring at the smaller bot questioningly. "That was awesome! " He cried, smile wide and optics shining.

"Wow I can't wait to tell the others about this! Wow Ironhide that punch was incredible!"

The grey mech smirked, glad to see that someone at least appreciated what he had done. Ratchet on the other servo was not amused. So the youngling thought that violence was awesome. Great.

A sudden sound to metal grinding against metal caught their attention. The looked back to stare dispassionately at Mendless as he finally managed to get up. His helm was dented form Ratchet's dent and his left arm was smashed, courtesy of Iornhide's punch.

"Why you.." He groaned. "You'll pay for this! Both of you! I'll make sure that you'll never be able to walk again!" As he continued to throw threats, both Ironhide and Ratchet looked at each other. An understanding seemed to pass between the two. Ironhide had always hated Mendless but he had never dared to touch the mech. Not because he was scared. But because he knew if he were allowed free reign he'd end up killing the framer, and until now, said framer was the only one that knew how to tend to serious injuries. Now though, there was a new CMO, one that was actually a medic and who gave a damn about the younglings.

There was no need for Mendless.

After a small moment of staring, Ironhide gave a small definitive nod, one Ratchet returned with gratitude. As one, they turned ready to show Mendless what and where he could put all his threats.

* * *

"Alright youngling, you're good to go. Here, this is a pass you can give to your professor so he knows you were here. Though…" He turned to look at the grey mech. "I have no clue if I should give you one."

"Why not!"

"Oh I don't know." Was the sarcastic response as the medic trend to look at the med bay's walls, where there were several scorch marks.

Glaring at the bilker mech Ratchet dared him to say anything. Ironhide had the decency to look sheepish.

"Aww well, least we got rid of that good fer nothing."

"Yeah! Now we can come here and not get kicked! I'm going to tell everyone!" Bumblebee cried excitingly.

Ratchet huffed but couldn't fight the small tug at the corner of his mouth. Smirking, Ironhide knew that things would be better from now on. Then the thought hit him.

_"Slag… the twins." _He thought with a groan.

* * *

"You are late." Professor Preceptor said.

Grumbling, Ironhide decided it wasn't worth making up an excuse and so just walked tot he back of the class, where his seat was. Thankfully, he shared this class with Orion. Let the gossip start.

Sighing, Preceptor went back to his teachings.

::What are we seeing now?:: He asked his friend tiredly over their comm-link.

Chuckling, Orion passed him his datapad knowing Ironhide would copy it's contents to his own. But he didn't care about that right now.

::Where were you?::

::Med bay, met the new med bot.:: He couldn't help the smirk that appeared on his face.

::Oh?:: Orion raised an optic ridge at that, suddenly very curious as to what could have happened.

:: He's got a good spark::

::That's it?::

::Yup. Oh and we managed to get rid of Mendless.::

Preceptor stopped his lecture once again to glare lightly at Orion as his arm seemed to suddenly slip of the desk, causing his datapad to fall to the ground. The rest of the class turned to see what had happened, surprised that Orion would interrupt the class. It was usually Ironhide that caused the teacher's wrath.

"Sorry Professor, won't happen again." He said embarrassed.

"Please keep it that way." Replied tiredly Preceptor. Then, after asking if anyone had something to add to his class, he went back to his lecture.

::What you mean you got rid of Mendless?:: He glared at the smirk plastered on his friend's faceplate.

::Oh don't worry, you'll learn soon enough. A younling form the first sphere is no doubt spreading the tale, I want to see how long before it reached our sphere.::

::Younglin?:: He asked perplexed before another though caught his interest. ::Wait, what were you doing in the med bay?::

Sighing, loudly, which earned him a fiercer glare from Preceptor, Ironhide told his friend everything, sending him some video files so he could see for himself how Ratchet had, and how he loved to replay that file, thrown a wrench at the assi- ex-assistant. The grey mech had no doubt that the youngling would be spreading the same files.

Orion had to keep himself from chuckling as he saw exactly what they did to Mendless so he would leave one and for all. Magnus was going to love him.

::Very nice.:: He commented as he finished viewing the file. ::Although I am now more excited to meet the new med bot. Hmm…::

::What?::

::I just wonder how he and Wheeljack became friends, they seem to contrat with each other.::

::Wheeljack? What's he got to do with this?::

::Didn't I tell you?:: Orion asked teasingly, knowing his friend was upset with him withholding information.

::No.: He deadpanned.

::Hmm let's see, where to start?::

* * *

Okay here it is? Are you all curious about what happened? Don't worry, you'll know. Next chapter: Gossip, Rumors and Bets

**REVIEW PLEASE! **


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